I encountered on a regular basis rude comments and sexual innuendo and cat calls and overt sexual propositions in professional settings.
I love a beautiful, soaring, singable melody. But what really draws me to a song, at the end of the day, is the words.
I never thought I'd be able to say 25 years about anything, really, much less be a recording artist for 25 years.
It didn't take very long for me to feel like the country radio box was a little too small. So that's what 'Don't Fence Me In' was all about.
I had this fantasy vision of what a career as a musician was like. And then I grew up and actually got in the business and realized, it doesn't often work that way.
I really felt like it was a dangerous trap to get into, having had such great success with 'Wishes,' it just wasn't in my blood not to play it safe and just do that again.
I kept getting these little messages through friends: 'Chuck Cannon thinks you are really cute.' And, 'Would you go out with him?' It was just like high school. It was really funny.
I definitely would have liked to stay at RCA and have had that relationship, and had them grow with me and support that.
I'm not interested in artistic records for the sake of making artistic records where they're so cool no one listens to them.
I went to college to make music and study music.
I could never really see myself being a pop artist.
I'd always wanted to be a mom. Actually, being a mom was always my top priority. It was like, 'I'm going to be a star and I'm going to get done with that and then I'm going to go be a mom.'
I think I'm the last person on the planet to use the internet, but I'm re-engaging my fans through Facebook and Twitter and Instagram, doing the whole social media scene.
I would love to go to England, Europe and especially Australia. I have a real fantasy about playing in Australia; I would love to get over there.
I have had such a satisfying career; I've gotten to do so many amazing things as an artist.
Of course, I love the arenas; there's a great deal of energy and excitement playing those kind of shows. But there's something that's very intimate and very special about a small venue, where you really feel like you're almost getting to know everyone in the audience.
Unfortunately - as I have experienced first-hand, as many artists have - there's a gaping hole between platinum and non-existent. There's no in-between.
Looking back, I wonder where my head was at on some of the last few albums, and I know I was just doing what I thought I needed to at the time.
I made my living as a theater actor before I got my record deal.
I feel so fortunate I was able to grow up in such a warm, loving, safe, beautiful community that I still call home.
