Musician

I knew I loved playing bluegrass, so I'd end up down there on Sunday nights at the bluegrass jam.

Elvis was a way bigger influence than Waylon Jennings, but you don't wanna tell people, 'I never really listened to Waylon.'

Both my grandfathers and my mother's brother were musicians.

I knew I wanted to make a concept record in song-cycle form, like my favorite Marvin Gaye records where everything just continuously flows.

I lived in Japan when I was younger for about two years. I spent my time equally between religiously studying Aikido in Shinjuku by day and hard partying in Shibuya and Roppongi by night.

I could go back to the railroad. I liked that job.

I'm just gonna write a record for my kid, and if people hate it, it doesn't matter.

You can embrace nostalgia and history and tradition at the same time - it has to progress or it can't survive.

Willie Nelson, Marty Robbins, Merle Haggard and Keith Whitley - guys like that were huge influences.

I pretty much just hang out with the kid. I want, like three more, because that's all I ever want to do.

That might be completely self-indulgent, to write your first major-label debut as a dedication to your family. But, you know, that's where my heart was.

I want all that dirt and grime and life-sauce. A lot of my favorite old soul records have it, but you don't hear it on country records anymore.

There have been many socially conscious concept albums. I wanted to make a 'social consciousness' concept album disguised as a country record.

It's a long road, so we are just trying to stay focused and grounded and keep moving forward. I'll take it, though.

I think when you're dealing with any issues about trying to become a better human being, you have to look at a lot of things about yourself that maybe you don't want to or aren't able to.

Part of me still feels like I've never had the opportunity to properly express all my earliest influences, so for now, I find isolation to be my biggest influence.

I'll never get tired of being told I sound like Waylon Jennings, but I don't hear it myself.

Let's just cut a live record with three microphones in four days and talk about lizards and aliens. If I had taken that idea to even an independent label, I don't see a label out there that would've said, 'Oh yeah, that sounds great. We know how to market this.'

Saviours get crucified.

I didn't graduate from college, so I might as well be on Atlantic Records, right?