We always say we sound like Skynard, because we like Skynard. The truth is we don’t sound like any band I know. What people like about this record is the variety of sound. Track 1 makes you think you’re going to hear some irreverent bluegrass, but by the end you’re not sure whether you bought a honky-tonk record or a rock record. I hear other bands, and I admire the writer because all 12 songs in their set sound great, but it is the same song with 12 different sets of lyrics. Sometimes my thought is “wow he really knows who he is as a writer”. People who like us are not that type of listener. They like that the songs vary as much as they do. To me music is the tune and the message. I’ve tried to capture both in my writing. When I think about the song, my first consideration is how is it going to feel. The answer to that depends on what I’m looking for musically at the time. Sometimes I want to just write rockers, because I’m bored and feel the need to drive fast. Sometimes I want to write songs that make people want to dance, so honky-tonk songs come out, and during times of introspection I usually write ballads. The term ballad is deceptive, because it denotes ‘love song’, which I have not written a lot of. My ballads are drinkin or cheatin songs usually. I don’t know why, as I'm deeply religious personally. I’m in love, and have known love, but in my writing it usually does not come through…especially on this record. Maybe on the next album...stay tuned. During a set break once, and old man approached me off-stage, put his arm around me and said, “son, are you ok”? I cracked up, because I knew he had been paying special attention to the lyrics of the songs. The answer I gave, laughing, was “yes sir, I’m fine”. The lyrics are personal for sure, and they speak for themselves. I don’t like to talk about them too much, because that’s the point – I express those thoughts and emotions through song. Each song has a specific meaning or relevance. I don’t write to impress or self-indulge. The words have real meaning to me as a writer, and I see that they resonate with listeners because truth always makes a real connection. For much the same reason, I admire Dwight Yoakam. Listening to him I always feel better, because no matter how bad things get for me, they can’t ever be worse than whatever DY song is on. A writer once said about an album of his: “in this record Dwight has shown us new ways to hurt”. I’ve always thought that was cool, and it’s a line in This Is Love. So whether I’m feeling Bill Monroe, Elvis, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee, Johnny Cash, The Rolling Stones, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, The Allman Brothers, Hank Williams Sr. and Jr., The Marshal Tucker Band, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, BB King, George Jones, Bad Finger, Peter Frampton, Lynard Skynard, Eagles, Journey, Stix, Rush, The Ramones, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Dwight Yoakam, The Mavericks, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Kid Rock, Montgomery Gentry, or Big and Rich…I promise you’ll get the truth.