I'm proud to have so many great friends at country radio who believe in what I do - thanks to all of them.
I'm a traditional country singer and we're always trying to make that a fresh and modern sound. That's always going to be the challenge with me.
It's always a pleasure to perform for people who love country music. And Australians definitely fall into that category. Each time I go back, I learn something new about the country, and I get to see some of the most beautiful places on the planet.
My previous visits to Australia created fantastic memories, so I'm definitely looking forward to another visit. It is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. I think every person in the entire country is nice. Seriously, I haven't seen or heard of a mean person yet. And they love country music.
The passion for doing music, the passion that I have for going out and playing it live - my love for country music is back.
It doesn't really matter to me what the rest of country is doing. I'm not caught up in trying to make a record that sounds like everybody else. That, to me, is a record label's absolute biggest downfall.
I can't sing anything other than country!
The biggest question I have is if you're a rock singer or a rock 'n' roll band, or if you're a pop singer if you've made your way in another genre of music and now you want to make a country record, why? That's my question. Why?
The risks are 'How country can you go?' rather than 'How rock can you take it?'
I think it's a natural fit, major league baseball and country music.
I would never do anything that makes the perception of country music worse.
