I write first for myself as a therapeutic process, to get stuff out and to deal with it.

I'm not just a doormat. I'm not just being stepped on all over the place. If you look at the bulk of my material, it's about trying to find some strength through that.

I am trying to get right with God. I'm sort of making a statement about the excessiveness.

The old jazz singers or old blues singers, you always just saw them kind of sitting down and singing. They weren't worried as much about their voice sounding perfect. They would make the song kind of fit their voice.

I'm trying to learn how to tap into the power of my own being. I know it sounds corny.

When the muse hits me, or the mood, or whatever it is, I get my guitar out and I empty it out. I just start going through things to see what's going to happen.

I guess you could write a good song if your heart hadn't been broken, but I don't know of anyone whose heart hasn't been broken.