If there’s a song where there’s a possibility of guitar stuff that would be fun to listen to, go for it. Don’t worry about what anybody thinks.

Even on the most serious ballads, I’ll throw in a tongue-in-cheek remark.

It comes down to building your own world out here on the road. It’s who you surround yourself with. My band and crew are really positive guys.

Even in your darkest moments, you’ll think of something that’ll crack you up.

The nice thing about the world that I’ve been able to inhabit for the last couple of years is that I’m given a lot of freedom. Not all artists really get that.

I’ve been on the road I think probably three years.

I love any and all situations where you celebrate creativity.

I go to eat dinner with my folks when I’m home. I think that’s the trick.

If there’s a song where there’s a possibility of guitar stuff that would be fun to listen to, go for it. Don’t worry about what anybody thinks.

I’ve heard my share of Van Halen. I never liked rock.

When they say you’re the best, I always remember that the majority of the audience probably thinks someone else should have gotten the award.

It just gets easier in that you become more you in the process.

In the past, I tried to be more of a typical session guitarist. I wasn’t so concerned with impressing anybody.

Willie Nelson, out there 200 days a year, calls his band family. And it is.

If I get an idea for a song, I have a melody for it. I’m a musician first. I’m not limited by the fretboard.

I really worked to try and be creative enough on the guitar parts so those who aren’t real educated would know that there was some difficulty in doing it.

With my guys and with the way that we live out there, we work out a lot and try to eat right, but we try to basically keep it our own rhythm and our own world.

I’m aware of the fact that a lot of talented people out there will never get this chance.

Alison Krauss is definitely my favorite singer that’s ever lived. I’ve never heard anyone like her.

You look out there and there’s people that, their day is changed because of your contribution to it.

As a guitar player, it’s harder for me to impress somebody than it is to write a song that they like.

I imagine there’s a market for total depression. I grew up on George Jones and that really dark stuff.

Guitar playing isn’t really for everybody.

Anytime you do something from the heart, people just know it.

I changed my mindset and figured, Why not try to be really entertaining instrumentally?

I’m sure there are a few things in my CD collection that might surprise people. I like classical music, the blues, and I’m a big fan of alternative rock.

I like to look at the songs like they’re little movies.

If you’re really on top, you probably didn’t do that great, ’cause you have to water it down a bit for it to get that mass appeal.

I don’t stare at a sheet of paper and try to think of a good word to use. I try to see where the story should go.