All artists are redundant about their own style; they can't escape themselves.

I always wrote for musicians, especially guitarists. I write songs that people who aren't great virtuosos can play.

I'm always doing something that ain't happening, and I'm always happening when there ain't nothing going on.

I've stolen licks from just about every person that ever picked up a guitar. We all borrow from one another; it's called legitimate stealing.

You never know how people are going to find songs for their records. Sometimes people will hear songs on someone else's record and really like 'em.

Songwriting is just like any other kind of writing - it's either fiction or nonfiction. You can even get into philosophy and politics, which I've done on occasion.

Sometimes I make up songs, and they're just strictly fiction. Other times, I draw on things that have happened in my life or friends, women, all sorts of things.

You know, I write songs, I repair guitars.

When I sit down and play the guitar, I'm 20 years old again.

I wanted to be able to play music, and then when I went out in my private life, my personal life, I didn't want to be famous.

My performing and my singing leave much to be desired, but having other people record my songs is the most flattering thing that can happen.

I was a studio engineer out in L.A. for about six or seven years, and I played sideman for different people, and played in bar bands. I was an old man of 32 when I made my first album.

I played a lot of nightclubs in and around Tulsa till I was about 22, 24 years old, then I started travellin' around.

Oil was the big business in Tulsa and there was quite a bit of nightlife for a small town. You could never make any money, but you could always find a place to play.

I figure that most people will remember me for the songs I wrote.

I'd say writing songs is, for me, as much playing the tape recorder as it is playing guitar or writing words.

I've always tried to come up with something that would catch your ear.

I've always enjoyed playing. If all it meant were to just stand there and play my axe and sing, I could have gone on forever.

So, my records really didn't sell, but musicians started picking up on my sound and my songs and cutting my songs and that turned into a gold mine.

I guess if I'd have more of a producer attitude, maybe I'd sell more records. But I'm basically a songwriter.

Nobody really produces my albums.

Sometimes the simplest forms of music are the hardest to play. Especially for musicians that are accomplished.

We used to say when we were 20 years old, that when you reach 30, you gotta hang up your guitar and get a real job.

From the first album I'm playing bass on a lot of the tunes, and piano on a lot of 'em, and drums, and guitars. I did that on almost every album.