How would you like to bite that in the ass, develop lock jaw and be dragged to death?

I like myself better when I'm writing regularly. ... I was influenced a lot by those around me-there was a lot of singing that went on in the cotton fields. ... I'm a country songwriter and we write cry-in-your-beer songs. That's what we do. Something that you can slow dance to...I never gave up on country music because I knew what I was doing was not that bad. ... Most of the stuff I've read about me has been true.

Where I grew up, Bob Wills and his western swing was very popular. And western swing is not that far from jazz and blues.

There's a great enthusiasm for good country music all over the world.

I'm from Texas, and one of the reasons I like Texas is because there's no one in control.

You will never find happiness until you stop looking for it.

Anybody can be unhappy. We can all be hurt. You don't have to be poor to need something or somebody. Rednecks, hippies, misfits - we're all the same. Gay or straight? So what? It doesn't matter to me. We have to be concerned about other people, regardless.