My wife grew up loving country music, so I always run songs by her whether I wrote it or if somebody pitched it to me.
My family and I are just regular folks, just trying to get through the day and do the best you can and pay the bills, and that's who we're singing to.
You choose to be happy, and in life we have as many good days as bad days. I try to find and record those songs that pull you through the bad days, and keep you believing that the good days are just around the corner.
Right now my favorite TV show - because it's too close to home - is 'My Name Is Earl.' That show kills me. There's some funny stuff in there.
It's still a trip for me to see somebody that I've only seen on television or in a movie. When they are there in real life, it's very different. When we played Detroit, Kevin Costner played before us.
When I did 'The Tonight Show' and Jay Leno was still there, he was very nice but it was surreal. It's like you can't believe you're standing there talking to that person. If you've seen them in a lot of movies or on TV you feel like you know them, just like my fans feel like they know me.
You may not know it, but I was adopted as a baby by my wonderful parents, Allan and Margaret Atkins of Cumberland Gap, Tenn.
The way I heard about The American Giving Awards was from the people that I work with. My publicist and I had a conversation a while back about wanting to really get involved more and more. We've been working with the National Council for Adoption with the children's home that I was adopted from called Holston Home.
I think my songs are singing to the rural heart. It's not whether you're from a big city or the middle of nowhere in a small town.
I could be on 52nd and Third in Manhattan up and ask a strange for directions and they will help you, that's a rural heart. Your car breaks down in the middle of Iowa or somewhere, or Tennessee where I'm from, people want to help each other. Given each opportunity, you see how people come together.
I don't want to sing songs that aren't worth while. Time is so rare. I just don't want to waste the listener's time and I think that my songs don't do that. That's what I pray for. I want songs that really touch people's hearts.
There's an intelligent redneck in all of us somewhere.
I guess I do prefer a ball cap. I have performed without a cap, mostly at funerals and weddings.
I started out singing covers. I've sung a lot of 'em and love a lot of 'em.
I am spiritual. I believe God loves and is pulling for all of us.
I don't take a second for granted of the honor of representing country music.
The way I started playing music was sitting around with friends and singing songs. I love good ol' fashioned guitar pulls.
