Quote

My definition of country music is really pretty simple. It's when someone sings about their life and what they know, from an authentic place.

Well, we play Country music; we're just not sure what country it is.

A country song is a song about life.

I do think I'm country, but your definition of that word might be different from my definition. In my opinion, country music, the sound of country, has always evolved. But the one thing that has not changed is the story element. And I think country songs are truthful songs about life written by country people.

One of the things that I think is such a constant in country music is that the song is so much a story. I believe it is supposed to be based around a story.

Country music is the song that speaks to the American condition. It's middle America. Eight out of 10 people. Maybe it's not the No. 1 choice, but they listen to country.

There were a lot of heads turning when people found out I was doing music and when they found out it was country, they were like, 'What?'

The word matters in country music, and it always has. And everybody had lived those words in country songs.

Country music has changed tremendously, so what now is considered country was not considered country at that time. We were doing stuff that probably could have been called country music today, but would certainly have not have fit in at that time.

Country music belongs to America.