Every time I've gone in to create music and felt free and felt like I was actually creating something, it's turned out something I'm really proud of, so I try to keep that as a tradition.
I actually had publishers that would encourage me at times to keep it simpler, not pack in so much information, but I'm a fan of songs and movies and books that the second time you read them, you find more stuff that you missed, so I like to pay attention to that detail.
That's one of the reasons I got into country music: because of the craft of that lyric and how much you could put into three minutes.
What keeps you in this business is the thought that maybe tomorrow will be different.
It's cliche, but everybody says, 'We're all one song away,' and it's so true. The difference between me and the guy down the street busking with his guitar case open is just one song.
I love to watch my kids when they don't know I'm watching.
I will go down on my deathbed telling my kids to find songs like 'Don't Take the Girl.'
I love an imperfect rhyme.
I love lyrics that are not too clever.
I had a lot of wrong preconceived notions about church-y folks, and I'm bad at judging the messenger, not the message.
I'm not a churchgoer.
Talking about my addiction to alcohol is therapeutic. Most definitely telling everyone about it is as well.
My dad was listening to me noodle around on the guitar in the house and sing, and he was like, 'Man, you're funny, and you sound good when you do that. You should do that at a bar.' I had stage fright, so I was like, 'No, Dad. Leave me alone.'
I was a big athlete, but I think a lot of the things I did were because they were my false identity, if you will. They got me acceptance, and they got me that attention that I craved.
My wife and I started dating in 11th grade.
I think every couple should find an artist that they dig together.
Kenny Chesney's music cuts. He gets into those massive ballads like 'There Goes My Life' and 'The Good Stuff' and things like that that just crush you, and delivers them so well. Some of that you can't really put your finger on; it's just magic.
When I was at Capitol - and this was not Capitol's fault - I was aiming, you know. I would listen to country radio and go, 'What version of me does radio want?'
Somebody told me a long time ago that if everybody loves you, somebody's lying. It is the truest statement you could ever say to somebody.
I'm in the gym constantly.
