I needed to be pushed as an artist and as a person.

I'm uncomfortable with being famous. I hate it. But I love making music. I love getting paid to do it, and I love getting on my boat after I get paid to do it.

My elementary school is still there [in Luttrell, Tennessee]. I drop by my high school. It's a small community. I say this every night before I do the song 'The Boys of Fall' in the show - I'm really happy about where I grew up and how I grew up.

I don't really drink before a show. That's my only drinking rule. Especially with today's cell-phone cameras, there's no win to it.

I truly believe that music is the most powerful thing we have.

An important mentor for me, in terms of teaching me that there's a right way and a wrong way to do things, was probably my football coach. And playing football was one of the first times in my life that I realized nothing is given to you. You have to work really hard.

I'm glad I took that time to work really hard on the music. I feel the effects of that now in a positive way with my connection with the audience.