Either your understanding of the meaning of music is there from the beginning or it is not.

I do not think that music keeps evolving. It evolved through Bach; since then, in my humble opinion, all the innovations added nothing.

I was in Paris at an English-language bookstore. I picked up a volume of Dickinson's poetry. I came back to my hotel, read 2,000 of her poems and immediately began composing in my head. I wrote down the melodies even before I got to a piano.

If you have more money than you need, you have to give it away. It's a duty. I get to choose whom to sponsor, and I like to give to the areas that I know something about.

I have a special interest in children who have lost a parent or loved one in the line of duty as they served their country as a police officer, firefighter, federal agent or member of the military, but children all over the word need help and an opportunity to flourish.

I started playing bluegrass with my family, so there were the G, C and D chords. I was playing a Martin acoustic because that's what Carter Stanley of the Stanley Brothers played. Then I got into the really raw blues of Hound Dog Taylor and started on electric guitar.

I'm very lucky to have a very nurturing, close family.

My parents have both done some music stuff. My family was very artist-friendly, so that was encouraging.