With my guys and with the way that we live out there, we work out a lot and try to eat right, but we try to basically keep it our own rhythm and our own world.

Willie Nelson, out there 200 days a year, calls his band family. And it is.

I go to eat dinner with my folks when I'm home. I think that's the trick.

It comes down to building your own world out here on the road. It's who you surround yourself with. My band and crew are really positive guys.

I've been on the road I think probably three years.

It just gets easier in that you become more you in the process.

I imagine there's a market for total depression. I grew up on George Jones and that really dark stuff.

Alison Krauss is definitely my favorite singer that's ever lived. I've never heard anyone like her.

If there's a song where there's a possibility of guitar stuff that would be fun to listen to, go for it. Don't worry about what anybody thinks.

I changed my mindset and figured, Why not try to be really entertaining instrumentally?

In the past, I tried to be more of a typical session guitarist. I wasn't so concerned with impressing anybody.

I really worked to try and be creative enough on the guitar parts so those who aren't real educated would know that there was some difficulty in doing it.

Guitar playing isn't really for everybody.

As a guitar player, it's harder for me to impress somebody than it is to write a song that they like.

Even in your darkest moments, you'll think of something that'll crack you up.

Even on the most serious ballads, I'll throw in a tongue-in-cheek remark.

I don't stare at a sheet of paper and try to think of a good word to use. I try to see where the story should go.

I like to look at the songs like they're little movies.

If I get an idea for a song, I have a melody for it. I'm a musician first. I'm not limited by the fretboard.

I'm sure there are a few things in my CD collection that might surprise people. I like classical music, the blues, and I'm a big fan of alternative rock.

I've heard my share of Van Halen. I never liked rock.

If you're really on top, you probably didn't do that great, 'cause you have to water it down a bit for it to get that mass appeal.

When they say you're the best, I always remember that the majority of the audience probably thinks someone else should have gotten the award.

I love any and all situations where you celebrate creativity.