As far as songwriting, my inspirations came from love, life and death, and viewing other people's situations.

I love songs about horses, railroads, land, Judgment Day, family, hard times, whiskey, courtship, marriage, adultery, separation, murder, war, prison, rambling, damnation, home, salvation, death, pride, humor, piety, rebellion, patriotism, larceny, determination, tragedy, rowdiness, heartbreak and love. And Mother. And God.

Music is the love of my life. It's a total escape from reality. Music transports you to another place, someplace unexpected and meaningful.

If there's not drama and negativity in my life, all my songs will be really wack and boring or something.

A lot of my songs are fantasy. I can dream up all kinds of things. That's the kind of world I live in. It's very sort of flamboyant, and that's the kind of way I write. I love it.

I don't write songs about a specific, elusive thing. I write about love, and everyone knows what it is like to have your heart broken.