I've never had the patience of a teacher.

I remember those days right after I graduated from college. All I had to do was wake up in the morning and think about writing songs. It's not like that anymore, needless to say.

I love Tennessee, but they don't have the pine trees and the sandy soil and the black water that I grew up around.

I was trying to learn how to deal with the freedom that I had away from home for the first time. 'Long Black Train,' the song and the album, are very special to me. It was just one of those things that I felt like God gave to me for a purpose, and I've been out here promoting that purpose.

I've never had the patience of a teacher.

I came from a rural background, and I didn't come in contact with a lot of wealthy people.

What I did to celebrate was I went home to my 535-square-foot apartment by myself and ate supper by myself. That was how I celebrated getting a record deal.