My original interests and intentions in guitar playing were primarily created on quality of tone, for instance, the way the instrument could be made to echo or simulate the human voice.

It's taken me to be an older guy, an old man, to have an old man's voice. Because I only liked old men's voices. As a kid, I didn't like pip-squeaked singers.

I asked the guy who made the sound effects for the radio shows how he got the sound of the electric chair and he said it was bacon sizzling. What about broken bones? The guy took out a LifeSaver and crushed it between his teeth.

The thing that influenced me most was the way Tommy played his trombone. It was my idea to make my voice work in the same way as a trombone or violin-not sounding like them, but "playing" the voice like those instrumentalists.

A little less fight and a little more spark, close your mouth and open your heart.

Working with Dolly is a great rush for me because we are good friends, and we have been, forever. We just flirted a lot. I can't explain it, but flirting is more electric than passion. It's the anticipation. She does it better than anybody I've ever seen, and it's just good fun.