I think it is very important in this business to be an individual

The satisfaction comes because you work hard and it pays off. It is not as glamorous as I thought it would be, but, you know, I appreciate it more than I ever knew I would, and I love it more than I ever knew I would.

Never settle for the path of least resistance

And to me, I had come out of Texas, and during that time was when I realized that a lot of people in Nashville, their idea of what country music was was not the same as mine.

The one who actually decided that I should keep my name was my manager, Erv Woolsey.

And I hate to see artists who are real safe. I love to see artists swing for the fences sometimes.

And I think that's a singer's job. You know, to really interpret a lyric. There's an art to it, and I think some people are really great at it, like Tammy Wynette and George Jones and Tony Bennett.