My goal as an artist is to always be true to who I am and give my fans music they will enjoy for a lifetime

Children are easily influenced, and I always want to do things I can be proud to show my kids someday.

I don't know why 'happy' can't be a story.

Nashville is one of the greatest places for the best songwriters in the world. It's been fantastic to live there and to raise our family there. It's a great town.

I think beauty comes from within. If you're happy and look at life in the best way you can, even when there are problems, it can make you beautiful on the outside.

Nashville was totally different than I ever dreamed. I had only seen the music business on television and been to a couple of concerts. I had no clue.

I have this strength that comes from knowledge.

Country music is the people's music. It just speaks about real life and about truth and it tells things how they really are.

It's not complicated to embrace life. You just have to make the choice.

A little bit of stage fright, then I'm ready.

It's okay to take time for yourself. We give so much of ourselves to others and we need to be fueled both physically and mentally. If we are in balance, it helps us in all our interactions.

Where I am always thou art. Thy image lives within my heart

Choosing a mate is not a matter of can they do the job, rather will they. A partner of "potential" doesn't make for a happy marriage. Their actions have to be in line with your needs.

We [ me and brother] wanted to win at things like basketball games or baseball games, but off the field we never felt like we had to compete with each other.

In hard times, no less than in prosperity, preserve equanimity.

The older you get, the better you get, because you've seen more. You don't necessarily have to go through a lot, but you have to witness it in order to recreate it.

I can't be a slave to the machine, you feel like you're in the matrix.

My fears came true: People called me fat and hideous, and I lived. And now I keep living.

Maybe when I'm sixty-five I'll talk about my literary life.

When we run from God, we run away from everything that makes us alive and free. We run away from our own happiness. We leave our place where we belong—close to his heart.