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.

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

I think a lot of men are afraid of pretty things, and I'm not, I like pretty songs.

What I'm doing is basically the same as Bob Dylan did with folk songs and Woody Guthrie songs, the same as folk music's always done. I'm not going to sing about ploughing, but I'll write a song that sounds like it should be about ploughing.

On the road, I weigh 168. At home, ten more.

My parents split up when I was about 2. I realize more and more how much I'm like my father. My gentleness comes from my mother.

New York has always had a love for Southern artists. There's no place else that makes me feel like the city does. I just love the immediate nature of the city, you can get whatever you want whenever you want it and do whatever you want whenever you want to.