I discovered the same thing Gram Parsons did, that soul music and country music are practically identical. Based off of the same chord structures, and the songs are of heartache and loss. The main connection is they both came up in church.

You have to live what you write, or you have to know it. There are exceptions, like story songs, where you just have to have your facts straight. But I think you don't have to live a hard life to be a good or interesting songwriter.

All my records have been written to be records, rather than writing a group of songs and seeing if they fit together.

Finding clothes in the South was impossible.

I know I'm never going to be a big pop star, because I'm not willing to conform.

I think that it's the job of the artist to be in transition and constantly learn more.

I grew up in a racially mixed neighborhood. So going over to friends' houses for dinner, their parents listened to Al Green and Luther Ingram. It was something that hit me early on, the feeling that came across.