I grew up listening to everything, and when I got signed to a record deal out of Nashville, that was my introduction to what was happening in country music.

Every sleepy boy and girl in every bed around the world- Can hear the stars up in the sky whispering a lullaby

Emmy Lou Harris introduced me to the work of the Vietnam Veterans of America foundation and the Campaign for a Land Mine Free World.

When I started out, it was this sense of, "Let's put out a record and see what happens and see where you go and see how you feel and where we can take it." That was a very different world back then.

I know some artists who come out of country music and the three sessions a day work ethic where you walk in, and you're told you play this note, this note, and this note, and you don't vary it. I know that works great for some people. It wouldn't work for me.

The bedrock thing of country music is, it's about storytelling. I feel like I was able to find a niche because I connected to that in some way.

We all have two lives. The one we are given and the one we create.