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

All we do as songwriters is rewrite the songs that have impressed us till we find our own voice. It's part of learning the craft.

The stupidest thing that a writer can do is write a memoir I think, unless it's right before you die -- maybe.

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 love theater. I go all the time. It's one of the reasons I moved to New York. But I understand that I have limited range as an actor. I can only play people who talk like me.

New Orleans is a unique environment.

My objection to the death penalty is based on the idea that this is a democracy, and in a democracy the government is me, and if the government kills somebody then I'm killing somebody.