The reason music became so powerful to our generation is that it's art you can consume in your car, and we were driving around a lot.

Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world, and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that.

America's criminal justice system isn't known for rehabilitation. I'm not sure that, as a society, we are even interested in that concept anymore.

I don't believe that songwriting has to be profound, but I truly believe that it's a crime for you to go outta your way for it not to be.

I have a low tolerance for mediocrity in music and life. I'm into pain and joy and the in-between doesn't interest me.

Actually, in its purest form, Islam is incredibly tolerant. That makes what's going on in the world really bizarre.

All we do as songwriters is rewrite the songs that have impressed us till we find our own voice. It's part of learning the craft.

You see things differently at 40 than you do at 31. Especially if you got to 40 the way I did.

Every day on Earth is another chance to get it right.

I don't really think in terms of obstacles. My biggest obstacle is always myself.

To me, religion is an agreement between a group of people about what God is. Spirituality is a one-on-one relationship.

Supernatural breakthrough requires supernatural expectations.

That is always our problem not how to get control of people but how all together we can get control of a situation.

art is not advocacy and advocacy is not art.

Tunisia is always ready to turn the page.

All God's religions ... have not been able to put mankind back together again.

When the severity of the law is to be softened, let pity, not bribes, be the motive.

But you know, as a kid I would have thought of a vegetarian as a wimp.

There is no love which does not become help.

The smaller your reality, the more convinced you are that you know everything.

A lot of the time you keep looking for beauty, but it is already there. And if you look with a little bit more intention, you see it.