I was comparatively late in understanding Bob Dylan's overwhelming importance as a songwriter. Everybody who does my job exists in the shadow of Bob Dylan. There are two categories: Dylan and everybody else. It's as simple as that. And it's going to be that way until he dies.

I'm one of the few people that I know that sings better than they did 20 years ago.

Every leap forward that I make is by reaching back and firmly getting a footing in the past, and pushing forward as hard as I can.

I'm a very disciplined person when it comes to my work, but discipline can't save m from being a drug addict.

Fundamentalism, as practiced by the Taliban, is the enemy of real thought, and religion, too.

You know I ain't never prayed before 'Cause it always seemed to me That prayin's the same as beggin' Lord, I don't take no charity.

I don't care what's happening in the mainstream of country music. I haven't in a long time.