My father claimed no political affiliation. He supported Al Gore because he knew him as a human being. He supported Lamar Alexander, who was the governor of Tennessee, who was a Republican. It was based on the individual. He didn't believe in politics. He based his support for someone on their heart and their integrity.

God probably shook his head and said 'Oh, my goodness' many times in dealing with my father. But what God saw in my father was that he was a rock, a foundation in a lot of ways - someone people could relate to who could shine strong and was not afraid to reveal himself. I think he was a great role model to many people in that way.

I can't think of another artist who has a fan base as diverse, in that the ladies in their 70s at the 4-H club have the same collection of Johnny Cash records as the punk on the street in Amsterdam.

My parents' love for each other lasted throughout their whole life. They didn't give up... They accepted each other totally unconditionally.

When I was young, my mother said to me, 'Momma loves her little son.' Now, this tender endearment holds a firm meaning within my life, inside my spirit. It reminds me that in sharing love, it grows that much greater in our hearts.

So many use dad's name, saying 'Johnny Cash would not like this' or 'Johnny Cash would do this' or 'Johnny Cash would vote for... ' Please, let his actions speak for who he was: A simple, loving man who never supported hate or bigotry. He was non-political, and a patriot with no public political party affiliation.

My mother did a fried vegetable dish called 'stuff.' It's fried potatoes and carrots. Then you add bell peppers, mushrooms and other softer vegetables. At the end you add onion. Then, you steam the dish with hot pepper cheese on the top and it melts down through the dish. It's delicious. It's wonderful.

My dad was a poet. He saw the world through unique glasses, with simplicity, spirituality, and humor.

My father's favorite poem was probably 'Love is patient, love is kind.' It's simply stated but pretty profound. That's how my dad wrote.

What I do is, I look at rock guitar players, and I say to myself, 'What is this guy doing? What does he have that can inspire me?' I try to see what other people are doing and take what they have and turn it and twist it into my own thing.

I just try to go outside the box. In fact, I go outside the box so much I go... 'What box!'

You can go pretty much anywhere in the world, and people know 'Beat It.' When I was growing up, you heard it everywhere. I remember being a kid and going to school dances and stuff, and they always played it.

A lot of bands, they take a lot of planning to do a live record. They have to hire a crew, and they have to have a recording truck and all this equipment, and they record every single show.

When my parents gave me that first guitar, I became totally obsessed. I would stay in my room all the time with it, and my parents were concerned.

You pick up a lot of things as a kid. That's why I play Telecaster.

I am from Michigan; I am from Grosse Pointe. I was upper class growing up there.

People don't buy music anymore; they're stealing it. But you can't steal a live show. There's no way to reproduce a real live show. So I think that when you put a great bill together, that people will come out for it.

I consider myself a musician. I like to play everything.

The guitar is my whole life.

I get starstruck... I don't know, because a lot of my heroes are my really good friends.

If I wasn't in the band, I'm a Zombie fan, and I'm a White Zombie fan.

I'm playing all the time. It's a gift, and I'm so happy for that gift. It's really engulfed my life in a good way. I make time.

I think there are so, so, so, so many things you have to be... to do this... you know, to keep going in the music business. Of course, you have to play well with others, you know, and you have to be smart with business and be good at your craft and be healthy.

Writing songs, especially with the instrumental stuff, it's difficult.