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Once you're in a particular country, and you're surrounded by musicians who are so adept at traditional music, you suddenly realize how much there is to explore and digest and learn and experience.

I have observed, too, that the people of the many countries that I have visited are showing an ever increasing interest in the classical and traditional music of their own cultures.

I'm very much a traditionalist, but I think it's important to know about tradition so that you can evolve the music you are deciding to make.

Music has always been transnational; people pick up whatever interests them, and certainly a lot of classical music has absorbed influences from all over the world.

I meet people every single day who have heard the music and incorporated it into their lives. I feel like I have a tribe all around the world.

I love music passionately. And because I love it I try to free it from barren traditions that stifle it.

I get interested in the various ways that music is being done in the culture, and some of it I like thoroughly enough to want to learn about it. The way I have been successful at doing that is to become part of it.

Music is the most natural thing in the world. When we go to a gig and we all like it and we share that experience, it's the same sense of communion as a sacred rite in Borneo or wherever it may be; it just gets dressed up different. Its good for the soul.

World music is about taking things from different places and bringing them together - which is great.

You know, traditional country music is something that's going to be around forever.