I always want to have a personal relationship with everybody that works for me.

My focus is trying to make great music and putting on great shows, and whatever happens beyond that is a bonus to me.

Just really, really believe in what you're trying to do. Don't let people alter that. Let people advise you and lead you down paths to make smart business decisions. But trust your instinct and trust that overwhelming drive that made you put all your dreams and everything on the line.

My thing is you just have to try to feel young and stay young. Obviously you get a little older, but I still want my music to be young. I don't want to sound like an old dad onstage, so you just have to write music that sounds young.

'Tailgate Blues' is kind of a lyrical masterpiece of a country song.

Even with all the negativeness of the whole social media thing, I still think it's leaps and bounds more positive.

I've been so blessed to have my career gradually get bigger and bigger, so I've been able to absorb stuff and take stuff gradually.