Forget about surviving 40 years in the music business. Just surviving 27 years of Nicole Richie has been a struggle-and-a-half, I want to tell you. I stand here as a survivor, I want you to know, for all the parents out there.

Country music has always been about as close to R&B as you can possibly get. We're storytellers.

My first love, you're every breath that I take, you're every step I make

Today we've learned to celebrate mediocrity. Back in the day we had creative artists; today we have created artists.

Believe me, I love commerce as much as the rest of the readers of 'Businessweek.' But in art, you have to be true to yourself and your musical vision. People have known me well for a long time, so if I was chasing a trend and doing something that wasn't authentic to who I am, they would know it in just a few seconds.

I always like to challenge myself. I never want to be put into a box.

My earliest memories of country music are the Grand Ole Opry.