People see you onstage and the glamorous side, but they don’t see you traveling 600 miles a night, eating truck stop food and spending by yourself staring at walls.
I think every artist wants to have that ‘Grammy award winner’ tag in front of their name.
My dad encouraged anything I wanted to do, especially music. Actually he drove me around to places where I could play.
I know I’m not gonna please everybody when I make a record. I don’t let that affect any of my decisions.
My mom was a single mom, and she had enough on her plate. I knew when I was doing something I wasn’t supposed to, and I tried to keep her from finding out about it. I did a pretty good job of that.
I think from an artist standpoint, you have to put out music that you feel like represents you and things you feel like your crowd wants to hear. And if that drives them to go and download the album or the single, that’s what we want.
I’m a country boy. I’m from Georgia.
I only took about five guitar lessons in my life from an actual teacher. I learned fast that that wasn’t for me. I didn’t have the attention span to learn that way. So I learned the basics from my dad, then just from playing on stage, and watching other guitar players.
I try to record music that people can relate to.
I think my music is definitely country but it’s got a little bit of that rock flair about it. I always try to find the things that everyday people deal with in their everyday lives and situations in the songs that I sing.
You have record companies that sign acts that they think are great, and then they never do anything. Acts that they don’t think are really going to do much end up having a career. I don’t think anyone really knows what it is that drives somebody to get on their computer and want to download a song.
I think great songs can come from anywhere and you constantly have to be able to look out for those. I think a lot of the times people will try too hard to write everything themselves and therefor miss out on great songs that way.
I don’t really think that audiences are that much different. I think that a fan is the same whether you are from here or from Japan – you come to a show because you like the music. I don’t really see much of a difference anywhere.
There are a lot of people out there that really aren’t that different than me, I consider myself a pretty average guy, so hopefully they understand me and know where I am coming from. I kinda feel like I am a voice for them.
I didn’t get into music to become famous and I didn’t get into music to become rich either – I got into because I liked it.
No matter what you do, you’re going to have people who have something to say about something you do. You can’t please anybody.
There’s a lot of people I’d love to work with at some point, but I think the song has to be the right thing. It has to be the right fit.
If the right thing comes along and you get an opportunity to be a part of something you believe in, and you think it’s cool and want to put your name on it, then you should.
I think everybody would love to say they were in a movie. Whether or not I’m any good at it, I don’t know.
Country music artists are staying true to their roots, keeping it country but throwing a little bit of rock flair in there which I think is a good thing.
Hearing people clapping draws you in pretty quick. It’s like bungee cord jumping – it’s a rush; you just want to do it again.