Singing your own songs is all about individual expression.

You can`t second-guess your audience. You can only do what you think is right. If you do that, your audience will appreciate you.

I don`t feel like I`m on a mission. I`m trying to play music that I like to play and like to listen to.

It`s really a lot easier to write about things that are problematic. Who wants to hear how happy you are?

I played guitar when I was young and never really considered it as a way to make a living.

It`s important to be successful enough to be able to keep doing what you love.

Somehow you can tell the difference when a song is written just to get on the radio and when what someone does is their whole life. That comes through in Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson. There is no separating their life from their music.

I enjoyed hearing people do their own songs. I became attracted to singer-songwriters. I became interested in them as people; was curious about what they wanted to say.

I am limited by what I can think of to do-my choices are not so great.

Both my parents worked, so I was home alone a lot, and I would listen to their records. They belonged to the Columbia House record club, so they had records!

Fortunately, I`ve never had a job.

It`s difficult to get started-when it comes to dealing with an unknown quantity, people are reluctant to trust their own opinion. It helps if two or three people give you a boost.

I`ve been lucky to be able to make the records I`ve wanted to make. The record company has never pressured me to cut certain songs.

I`m really in no danger of being perceived as a famous movie actor!