Well the country songs themselves are three-chord stories, ballads which are mostly sad. If you are already feeling sorry for yourself when you listen to them they will take you to an even sadder place.

If you really want to get along with somebody, let them be themselves.

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.

Don't try to change anybody. And they should let you be yourself, 'You loved me when you met me, so let's keep going!'

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.

You want to be a good parent and you want to be a friend, and it's hard to be both. You have to balance it as well as you can.