It was a different way of making a record. We basically all met in Athens, Georgia, to make this record. A lot of these songs, nobody had ever heard, and we just kind of put them together right there. We were in band camp or something.

Ancient of days! august Athena! where, Where are thy men of might? thy grand in soul? Gone--glimmering through the dream of things that were; First in the race that led to glory's goal, They won, and pass'd away--Is this the whole?

Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts And eloquence.

Mark's a great singer and great performer and songwriter. He took over the vocals and harmony singing with me.

Last year was kind of a down year for us. We weren't out there for 200 dates last year, like usual. Don [Herron, the band's fiddle, pedal-steel and mandolin master] was off playing with Bob Dylan, Shaw was spending most of his time in Arizona, and I was in Nashville writing songs and doing my own thing.

In the past we had it all preordained in our heads, but this time we went in there winging it, and I think it came out really good that way.