Quote

Country music belongs to America.

I was writing country songs, but I wasn't listening to country yet. I grew up on a farm in East Tennessee, so my roots are country, you know? But I didn't know where those songs came from or where they fit.

Country music is worldwide - it's not just Nashville and Texas.

I started singing on the radio in Los Angeles. I sang blues, but I would tend toward country blues.

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.

I'm an Australian, and when I grew up much of my influences were American - blues music and country music, all that sort of thing.

There's been a shift: Country music is popular music now. Every other genre wants to come over to our land.

Country music historically has been sort of middle-aged people's music.

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.

Country music busts the wall between performer and audience. There's a connection because there's a vulnerability, a confessional quality, to so much of the songwriting. Those lyrics take you in.