I mainly read non-fiction, and that's probably because I have a huge amount of insecurity about my lack of education and the things I don't know.

I wish I was as sure about things as Bill Monroe was sure about things.

I don't think I'm a political songwriter as much as I am just a political person. I think it's in my fabric.

Songwriters are expanding time rather than compressing time. My short stories tend to be old fashioned, with a beginning, middle and end.

I don't spend a lot of time feeling sorry for myself, trying to compare how many records I've sold or how much money I've made.

Critics are notoriously liberal with their use of the term 'genius'.

We're Americans. I don't consider us to be evil, I just don't think we know any better. We're a really young culture. We're hillbillies, and the rest of the world sees us that way. I travel all over the world, and probably the only worse rednecks than us are the Australians. And they're an even younger country.