One of my pet peeves is when people think that pop guys go country when they can't make it in pop anymore.

There's two times of year for me: Football season, and waiting for football season.

You gotta laugh and love and take all life has to give. You gotta live and learn so you can learn to live.

When I was growing up, I always knew that if I ever got anything, I was going to give back as much as I can. I learned that all you have to be willing to do is give your time.

You gotta love and learn and learn to live.

I think people who go out and tell you how much they're gonna change things are the people who end up being just another whatever. I'm never trying to change anything. That's not for me.

It was important to me to find a label that wouldn't back out after a first single. Everyone's so used to hearing me with Hootie, they're going to be skeptical.

We went to church every Sunday. When I was a kid, the only time I sang was around my family.

I don't think I get the respect as a singer. With this record, I wanted to bring respect to my band.

I'm a kid who grew up in an all African-American neighborhood and got into schools and aspired to just be me, and didn't worry about labels or anything. Just wanted to be a success at what I did.

Find something that makes you want to give and give and give 'til it hurts.

genius is 1 per cent inspiration and 99 per cent perspiration

Generosity helps us cultivate awareness of things that really matter. Opportunities that make a real difference in the world.

Home is my Bethlehem, my succoring shelter, my mental hospital, my wife, my dam, my husband, my sir, my womb, my skull.

I don't really have Down's syndrome; I just have a slight case of it.

A song must move the story ahead. A song must take the place of dialogue. If a song halts the show, pushes it back, stalls it, the audience won't buy it; they'll be unhappy.

A billion could live off the earth; 6 billion living as we do is far too many, and you run out of planet in no time.

Value the relationship more than making your quota.

Art remains the one way possible of speaking truth.

It is hard going to the door cut so small in the wall where the vision which echoes loneliness brings a scent of wild flowers in the wood.

I tell students they will know they are getting somewhere when a scene is so painful they can just barely bring themselves to write about it. A writer has to draw blood.