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My Native American heritage was not embraced by our family, and we grew up African-American, so I didn't have a lot of access or history to that line of my family.

My father's record collection was all country. That's how I was exposed to it.

Most of them are pretty down records, pretty unhappy, pretty confused. Which only reflects how people in general were feeling, I mean really the sense that you get is society running down.

When I think of my work, I'm aware that I'm American and African at all points and times. And without a doubt, my experience and understanding of America was shaped by having immigrant parents.

Not unlike our country's history, my personal history was founded upon an unfortunate history of racial conflict between black and white.

As a child, I experienced black culture as many people did in America: on the TV, radio, and stages.

I made records in the past that are as traditional as any other country records that have been made, but at the same time the records have a contemporary slant on it too.

So many white kids, English kids - we had no culture.

I grew up in an environment with virtually no Hispanics where you see only people in your culture in custodial jobs. I had a messed up image of what we bring to this nation. My father was known as a pioneering figure in Cuban music, but I still associated him with everything that was negative in my neighborhood. I could not have been more mistaken.