My dad, like any coach, has always stressed the fundamentals. He taught me responsibility, accountability, and the importance of hard work.

Music saved my life a few times because I could play the stuff rednecks loved. They thought I was great and they wondered why I didn't do that all the time.

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

The song [The White Trash Song] was not a put down of [ my country cousins ], but a celebration. I wrote that early on, as a teenager.

I didn't have the self-promotion instinct, and I just didn't care about it. I sort of had a "beat" attitude.

I like the idea of having an old Gibson [guitar], but I don't have one. The Gibson has a different quality, but it's almost like you need both.

I was a young folk singer, or wanted to be. I really wanted to be a New England folk singer, but they never would accept me. I was always hard to categorize, and people wouldn't know what to make of it.