I expect to make a career out of country music.

I always say, no matter what happens to me as a black man in country music, I can handle it if Charley Pride could handle all the stuff he went through.

If it wasn't for Kenny Rogers, I don't think I would be in country music. He was that guy when I was a kid - his music and 'Hee Haw' made me perk my ears up and made me say, 'What is this? I want to hear more of that.' He was that catalyst for me to start this whole run in country music.

If my music career was my golf game, I'd be playing for about 26 people tonight somewhere.

I have major respect for Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood and Sugarland. They are wonderful. They're superstars in the music business.

It's about the music, not the color of the person playing the music.