I was made to go to church and I heard the gospel songs, and every now then somebody would come through with a guitar and that was a thrill!

All I cared about was the music, like hearing Townes [ Van Zandt] talking about "For the sake of the song"; it's all that mattered. In spite of me a couple of things happened, mainly the Eagles and Seven Bridges Road. That certainly helped me survive. Joan Baez, Rita Coolidge, and Ian Matthews did it.

When you're an elite athlete, it's a very special moment in time and you don't want it to end.

James Burton was playing some pure roots stuff. Gram Parsons took an interest in that record [in '68-'69] and he admired it. I never had the concept that I'm going to go somewhere and I'm going to have this career. I just really never thought about all that.

The principle is competing against yourself.

One of the things that benefited me that anyone can learn is classical technique. That shows the orchestra that exists within the instrument.

I was born and grew up in the Deep South, and I must say it wasn't easy for me. I always marched to a drummer, I had different views about politics and religion and I had them relatively young.