There were some older guitarists on my side of town, and I got to know many of them

I don't write on tour. There is so much to do day in and day out when you are on the road.

As a solo artist, I just felt cemented in front of the mike stand. There was very little time to play with the audience and be a band member

I remember my first moment onstage was at a 4-H contest at the Pratville Junior High School cafeteria auditorium around 1965. I had my first electric, a Silvertone with the amp built into the case, and I won first prize.

I love the idea of stepping out of the band situation into a solo world with no boundaries, no expectations, where nothing is out of bounds.

It was more fun trying to figure out I Want To Hold Your Hand than to take lessons. By this time I knew basic chords

If I have an idea, I write it down, although I usually carry a little dictation machine with me because I'm too lazy to write