I know I'm never going to be a big pop star, because I'm not willing to conform.

Nashville's like any other hometown - after a while, it's stifling.

I think a lot of men are afraid of pretty things, and I'm not, I like pretty songs.

As a southern man, there's two things I'm definitely not scared of: bow ties and white pants.

My parents split up when I was about 2. I realize more and more how much I'm like my father. My gentleness comes from my mother.

I didn't do anything differently than what my father was doing. It's a really hard family to rebel in. I could have become an accountant. Or I could have become a Republican.

All my records have been written to be records, rather than writing a group of songs and seeing if they fit together.

I didn't get into music to become a blues musician, or a country musician. I'm a singer-songwrit er. In my book that means I get to do whatever I want.

I've never been good at rock'n'roll songs, anyway; either I'm blessed or I'm cursed, but whatever I write comes out sounding old.

I heard Nirvana, and discovered that songs could be like poetry, but a little bit more refined: you didn't have to have 20 verses to get your point across.

I always watched movies and rooted for the bad guys, you know? I've always been that kind of guy. I still hold some respect for criminals that are good at their jobs.

Nothing happens easily in our lives. To get something, you have to attract it with the power of your love.

It doesn't matter if you do everything right, if you dress the right way and act the right way and follow all the rules, because evil will find you anyway. Evil's resourceful that way.

See my blog at crossedeyesanddottedtees.wordpress.com for more of my writing.

Everybody makes excuses for themselves they wouldn't be prepared to make for other people.

In my songs, I'm not saying something that's never been said before. The have lyrics aren't going to blow people away. It's the emotion and the melody that drive it home.

Focus on the princess, not on the problem. You can't marry the princess without killing the dragon. So when you see the dragon, just remember: There's a princess on the other side.

First and foremost, I am a mom. I get the most fulfillment being with my family.

If I give you two children films then come back and give you an adult film. I just love mixing it up and not being pegged into one specific thing.

My conscience is captive to the Word of God

However time or circumstances may come between mother and her child, their lives are interwoven forever.