With bullying and all the stuff going on, words are very important. Words can be more hurtful than anything physically. I got little kids, and it's common sense when you're raising them that the main thing is how you talk to people, and how you treat people. Sometimes I think the world forgets that as we get older.
As far as writing, it's grown because I've really grown comfortable with who I am.
I signed a baby's head one time, which I thought was an odd situation. I had a guy show me a tattoo one time, and he wanted me to sign the tattoo. So I signed the tattoo, and he went across the street and had the signature tattooed.
I'm not a big TV guy, but I love either 'Auction Hunters' or those repo shows on truTV. It's really just glorified 'Jerry Springer' is all it is. Every now and then, it's just mindless entertainment. We'll be on the bus, and we'll laugh at it. Those are my guilty pleasures.
Looking back on my career, some of the hardest times - eight people at a show, 12 people on a bus - were some of the most fun.
Maybe it's oldest-child syndrome, but I have always been competitive, even as a kid with sports. It spills into my career.
I think right now, you've seen these artists pop up over the last decade who've flirted with branching together a lot of different kinds of music. Some of them have been huge, and sold millions of records. And I think over time it's become a little bit of what the industry can be.
If I wanted the ticket to be a $200 ticket, I'd have made it a $200 ticket, but I don't want it to be that.
I was in Iowa one time, and I kept trying to fire up the crowd, and I kept saying, 'How's Ohio doing?' For some reason, they just weren't coming around!
The town I came from really had one industry, and that was furniture.
I don't really get into that whole red-blue-conservative-liberal because I can't tell them apart. They all seem inept. So, for me, it's not something I focus on at all. I probably should be more political than I am. I just don't care.
I'm not a trust-fund type.
Everybody always tells you what an awesome and unique experience being a parent is. Words can never do the feeling justice.
Country music is the song that speaks to the American condition. It's middle America. Eight out of 10 people. Maybe it's not the No. 1 choice, but they listen to country.
I've always made music that was representative of real life.
Bob Seger was a huge inspiration.
The key to songwriting is just to be able to observe, and put yourself in situations to be around people, and let those ideas come to you.
The most important thing for me as an artist is having an identity.
I went to my dad when I was 17 and said, 'I want to be a country music star.' Which every dad loves to hear. And he said, 'I want you to go to college.' So we had a discussion. And I'm pretty stubborn. I'm a lot like him. And he said, 'If you go to college and graduate, I'll pay your first six months of rent in Nashville.' So he bribed me.
I have a huge chip on my shoulder.
