Before I started writing for myself, I was writing country records, and they were coming out dope.
I'm very proud of all the bluegrass-oriented albums. It just reminded me and my fans that I should always record acoustic music and country records, along with anything else that I might want to do.
I think I'm going to be making country records for as long as I can see into the future. It's much more down-home and real.
It is not that I don't like contemporary country music because I do. I love it. I have recorded a lot and have had great success recording records that have not been very traditional country records.
I learned to play piano in a rock n' roll context or band context from country records - you know, Floyd Cramer - and from the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and Stax. And none of those are keyboard records.
I'm going to make country records back to back for a while - until country radio doesn't want me anymore or until I get my own theater in Branson - one of the two.
I made records in the past that are as traditional as any other country records that have been made, but at the same time the records have a contemporary slant on it too.
I want all that dirt and grime and life-sauce. A lot of my favorite old soul records have it, but you don't hear it on country records anymore.
