I also was a huge 'Dukes of Hazzard' fan. I used to have T-shirts that said 'Dierks of Hazzard' custom-made.

I'm a member of the George Jones fan club, and I'm a member of U2's fan club.

I'm a huge fan of Billy Idol. I spiked my hair every day like him in 7th and 8th grade.

And I'm the biggest country fan there is, but I'm always a little cautious of a slower song or just a song with subject matter.

I like big shows, a lot of volume and a lot of energy. I love electric instruments. But I do love mixing those with bluegrass instruments and cranking those up, too, with a little bit of that rock energy.

When you go to the Opry for a show or hear it on the radio, you get the whole circle of country music.

I try to make an album that reflects what I love about country music. It's not just all about happy parties all the time. There are some sad songs.

My dad and grandpa were in the army and as a country singer you're constantly playing at military bases all across the country and meeting soldiers and their families and hearing their stories.

Patty Griffin is iconic, and there's no other word to really describe her. She is iconic for a lot of people - not only for me but for a lot of fans. Her voice is one of a kind, and she's such an important figure in the American music scene.

I'm part of the party, getting the crowd fired up, singing songs, pouring drinks, whatever it takes to get them to have a good time. When I walk into the meet-and-greet, someone's always going to have a story, a sad story or a happy story.

That's what I love about Nashville and the music community - seeing kids around acoustic music and bluegrass picking parties is the best.

As a songwriter, you might write every day and throughout the course of a year you might get four songs that are really special.

But as far as being an American and loving this country and getting a chance to travel across it every day and meeting people on the road and folks in the military, I love this country on so many different levels.

And if I want to get involved in choosing sides, I usually pick hockey or football.

I think the great country songs mixed with some of that bluegrass instrumentation - and surrounding all that with a little bit of a rock vibe and energy - is the kind of music I make.

A Sunday morning spent reading the paper together, maybe drinking some mimosas, alone, and talking until noon. That would be pretty amazing. Married couples with kids will understand.

I love bluegrass music, I love acoustic music, and I try at the right times to push that a little bit.

When I was 13, I was just figuring out how to play 'Eruption,' poorly, by Eddie Van Halen.

I really love flying, but it's really nice to jump on a plane, sit back, and let someone else do the heavy lifting, but flying is my main passion for sure.

Country music is always changing but the Opry is always there to serve as a lighthouse for what country music really is. The past, present and future is all encompassed by not only the physical structure of the building but also the radio show.

Only in country music can you compare an old pickup truck and an old guitar to your wife and turn it into a love song... Thank God for country music.

I want to be free to be any version of me I feel like being. I don't want to be McDonald's that serves the same food every time.

My dog Jake ran up to Dolly Parton, and he put his nose up her skirt. We were like, 'Oh my God, don't do that.' I didn't know Dolly, and she said, 'Watch out there little doggie, don't start something you can't finish.'

I see myself as a serious artist, but yeah, when people come to my shows, they want to hear 'What Was I Thinkin',' 'Drunk on a Plane,' and lots of up-tempo, fun songs.