“If you can last until you’re 40 years old, hopefully you’ll be mature enough to figure out the rest of the years.”

I probably should put a little more energy into it.

Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke risin’ against that blue sky?

Probably some of the songs I never even really listened to the lyrics.

Those are the kind of people who like the kind of music I’m making.

Did you shout out in anger, in fear of your neighbor or did you just sit down and cry?..

I’ve been a lot of places, and my wife, Denise, she likes a lot of the fancy restaurants.

My mother kept asking me, “When are you going to do a gospel album?” And I’ve always wanted to do a gospel album.

The fan base that I’ve had all these years has come along.

I’ve always said that if you have songs on the radio and get played, you’ve got to have a tour to support that.

I think if you retire from touring, then people think you are retired.

Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones and pray for the ones who don’t know?

Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble, and sob for the ones left below?

A country song is a song about life.

There’s no hall of fame for that working class hero, no statue carved out of stone. And his greatest reward is the love of a woman and his children.

A lot of times when songwriters get together and write a song…

I’ve always stood up for country music.

I wanted to take up guitar because playing piano is a little harder. Carrying a keyboard around is harder, and finding a real piano is much harder, and I wanted to play live more, so I figured a guitar would be easier to carry around.

When someone is a musician – trying to make a living off being a public figure – it’s really easy for people to see me as a face on a screen that doesn’t have a personal life.

I never really cook from recipes. But the worst is when something turns out great and I can’t figure out how to make it again!

Today’s public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is some evidence that they can’t read them either.

Honesty is most important, and it’s difficult when you’re young and single and sort of figuring out your own life.

Whenever there is fear, you will get wrong figures.

I want what’s best for our country. I’m not sure I can figure that out.

Regarded zoologically, man is today an almost isolated figure in nature. In his cradle, he was less isolated.