It's not what you take when you leave this world behind you. It's what you leave behind you when you go.
I think every once in a while country has lost its way, but found its way back. It's always going to drift away from the traditional side, but then find a way to return. There's room for all kinds of influences be it pop, blues, gospel or whatever. But I will always say that I think we need more traditional country music coming down the pike.
To me, country music tells a story about, and deals with, the way people live their lives and what they do.
For me, having come to study and understand some of the Bible and finally getting saved made a huge difference in me, because my wife was a big influence on that. I saw in her, when I first met her, a person's soul at peace with everything and everybody around her.
My dad wanted me to play when I was a kid, so I learned to play the guitar. I pursued a career in music because I love it so much and I enjoy what it does to those who hear it.
I wish at times I had finished school just to say I had.
I'm happy riding horses and getting out shooting my gun, things like that.
I never thought of having platinum albums and winning awards. I just wanted to write songs and sing when I started out in the music business.
I've learned the importance of loving what you do. I have also learned more patience due to the nature of the music business.
You continue to evolve with each album that goes by and, as an artist, you continue to expand with every recording project.
I've been singing since I was 8 years old and working in clubs since I was 14. I've been working full time since I was 16.
I don't know whether schooling would have helped me get farther along in music at this time. I doubt it would have.
I just couldn't stand school. If I went, I'd skip after the first class. I didn't like to be told I had to study and had to do homework. There's a fact that you have to want to learn.
You know, I think you have to sound right singing whatever it is that you sing.
The peak of a career can only last so long. You go up and you try to maintain it. But, it can only last so long and then you're going to go down.
