I really think that being yourself, being original, being outside the box is starting to be appealing to people.

I did surveillance a lot, which sounds exciting, but it never was.

Both my mom and my grandma were really big influences on me not only by being strong and teaching me to be strong but also owning their salt as well.

Don't get me wrong, I love my first two albums a lot.

I literally wouldn't have dreamed of it in a million years that I'm going to be standing there with George (Strait) and Garth and Kenny (Chesney) and Reba (McEntire) and Brooks & Dunn. I don't really have any clue what I'm actually doing with those people because I feel like I'm still just getting started and I've seen them all in concert and they're all my heroes.

There's room for everyone. There's room for pop country, for 'rock & roll' country, for stone-cold country, and everything in-between. Great music is great music.

I'm really fortunate because, in my career, I haven't had to deal with anybody trying to make me something I'm not.