I see a lot of parents now who are really supporting their kids playing music.

I think my favorite thing is the mystery of life - it makes you feel that much better about accomplishing something.

I think I'm more influenced, just in general, not by blues artists, but more by stuff from Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder is probably my biggest musical influence of all. And Donny Hathaway.

My dad was good friends with the Bad Medicine Blues Band - one of the only blues bands in Fargo, as you can imagine! He took me out to see them play when I was 12 years old and I was really inspired by their guitar player, Ted Larsen.

With the style of music that I do, I don't think it's at the top of their agenda to push me into doing any compromising material.

I think you have to know exactly what you want. Whether you want to be a guitar player or a musician, you have to be really focused on it if you really want to do it.

I'm glad I've learned what I've learned when I learned it.