Three chords and the truth - that's what a country song is.

A lot of country music is sad. I think most art comes out of poverty and hard times. It applies to music. Three chords and the truth - that's what a country song is. There is a lot of heartache in the world.

There's a great enthusiasm for good country music all over the world.

I never gave up on country music because I knew what I was doing was not that bad.

When Ray did I Can't Stop Loving You , that was probably the time when country music was heard by more people than ever before. He kicked country music forward 50 years. Before him, a lot of people had probably never heard of songs by Don Gibson or Hank Williams.

I'm a country songwriter and we write cry-in-your-beer songs. That's what we do. Something that you can slow dance to.