I wish there was some paradigm shift in the economics of independent music and we could afford to keep this going for longer. It's just kind of expensive. As long as we're still having a really good time and as long as we're good friends, this seems like the perfect time to not necessarily quit but change the formula a little bit.

We make it a complete piece of music.

I was at the Academy of Country Music Awards and my first record had just come out. Buck Owens walked up to me, told me he really liked my record and said, 'I believe in your talent. I believe you're three minutes ? one hit song ? from being a big star and finding your own path.' Well, two years ago, Buck walked over to me and said, 'It looks like you got those three minutes, didn't you?' You found six, nine, 12 and 15 of them.' And he told me he was proud of me.

The music business is strictly business.

One thing we've learned about our fans, if they like our music, they like it in a big way, and the people that don't seem to feel just a strong the other way.

I love everybody in Nashville. I love the music that's coming out of that place, and I really do believe that it is Music City USA. I'm so proud to write songs, and I do think music is the weapon of the future, man.