I'm just thankful I'm surrounded by good people.
It's always a good feeling to be recognized for something.
My California sunrise, there's a real mist in the air. I think of the mountains. You can smell the farm fields. You can smell the dirt and the lights and the whole sun.
I lean traditional, but 'Head Over Boots,' it's pretty country.
There's been a lot of wedding songs and proposals. It's cool because when they play it at weddings so, it means a lot to them. That's a big deal. They're always going to remember 'Head Over Boots' as played at their wedding.
Getting a beginner publishing deal really helped me gain the skills. I just kept writing and writing. You just take everything out of life and turn it into an idea or a melody or a song and find the best writers you can to write with that fit you and know what you want to do.
My grandmother loved country music, and she's the one who really got me into country music. She had George Strait tapes, a bunch of them. I remember listening to tapes, taking them out, the covers and the back.
As a songwriter, we're looking for a good story, and we're always looking to push the limits.
I've really been studying lyrics, printing out lyrics to songs I love and reading them like a letter.
I can be a traditionalist but also play with Luke Bryan and get the crowd to go crazy. I think that mix is a lot of what has kept me going and kept people fired up about the music.
I chose to be this guy. It's who I want to be, and it's always been me - just keepin' it country.
As a songwriter, you always look for guys that you can write good with. Show up, have an idea, knock it out of the park.
I'm a funny guy. You've got to be able to make fun of yourself. We only live once.
'Head Over Boots' is a shuffle, but it's more of a Motown laid-back shuffle than, say, a Dwight Yoakam shuffle.
I grew up in rural Dixon, CA, and I've been hunting with my father ever since I was a young boy. He taught me how to hunt and shoot, firearm safety, and have respect for the outdoors.
You gotta do both. You've got to be on those big tours, and you've got to be in the clubs.
I'm moving forward and getting new fans at every show.
For my shows, I don't play too many slow songs.
We travel so much as touring musicians and artists that sometimes, when you hear a great song that you really think could be on your project, you go ahead and record it instead of try to write it.
Take everything you can from what people say. Keep going and stick to your instincts. And what your soul tells you to do, use that.
