Making music is still what keeps a fire going on in me.
I mean, my voice has gotten a little deeper sounding as I've gotten older, I think. I noticed that.
I always try to make the music that I like and think my fans will like.
The music business doesn't take up that much of my time. I probably should put a little more energy into it.
I mean, I am driven and laid-back at the same time.
I've always said that if you have songs on the radio and get played, you've got to have a tour to support that.
I think if you retire from touring then people think you are retired.
You think a lot of people get to be big stars and get a little crazy, but most of the ones I've ever met have always been surprisingly normal, and I've enjoyed that.
You just write about things that happen.
A country song is a song about life.
I mean, my girls are very sweet; I'm very proud of all of of them.
When I was in high school, I don't know that I really had big dreams.
I like to write sad songs. They're much easier to write and you get a lot more emotion into them. But people don't want to hear them as much. And radio definitely doesn't; they want that positive, uptempo thing.
If you can last until you're 40 years old, hopefully you'll be mature enough to figure out the rest of the years.
I've always stood up for country music.
I think every album you have, especially if it's done well, you feel like you're competing with yourself.
I think I've always approached making albums pretty much the same way. I'm just looking for a mixture of songs and topics that aren't the same thing over and over.
A lot of times when songwriters get together and write a song... somebody will come in with a hook and a lot of times they come out with something that sounds a little crafty.
I've had several working-man songs that I like.
I don't write all my stuff. Everybody always thinks that. But in just about every album I've ever had has been about 50-50 songs I've written or co-written and other people's songs.
