I was always suspicious and looking over my shoulder because that’s how I was raised.

My weight always fluctuates by 10 pounds.

People naturally change a lot during their 20s, so my songs reflect that progression.

Heartbreak is good fuel for country songs. And cheating.

Country music has always sort of been country music.

Crunches only go so deep.

I wouldn’t want to bring a kid into this crazy world right now.

I just am who I am.

I think I don’t have as much to prove now.

I really love jeans.

Onstage, I don’t want to be thinking about my outfit, I want to think about what I’m doing, so I’ll try to dress as comfortably as possible.

The bigger you get, the more pressure you have to deal with.

I like to say what I think, and if it happens to push buttons, sorry.

I am incredibly thankful for the strong support I have from my peers in the industry and of course my amazing fans.

For each album, I let the music that I love at that point in my life be my guide.

Long intros are cool because there’s a little bit of anticipation, you know?

I really feel every word to every song a lot more than I have in the past.

I would love to have a song that I wrote by myself to win a ‘Song of the Year’ award.

I try not to get too ahead of myself. I try to be happy where I am.

Yeah, I try to be the best example I can be for young girls just as far as my person goes – just to uphold a good image.

Usually, I cut songs by other people that are artists that I already love.

If you don’t stand for something, how can anyone respect what you do?

My mom always says I cut my teeth on the church pew.

I definitely don’t ever want to burn out at my job.

Currently I’m not a crazy ex-girlfriend, but I can’t promise I won’t be one again.

I’m married to my best friend!

I’d love to get played on the radio, but it just doesn’t happen.

I’m a lifetime member of the NRA.

Yeah, my dad bought me a guitar when I was like 10, and I didn’t really want it then.

We had like a jolt of women in country, and it seems like we’re just kind of there now.

I think I find new idols every day – someone that says something really inspiring, is successful, has character.

A lot of people tell me, once they get to know me, that they’re surprised that I’m nothing like they think I’ll be.

I didn’t do that many crazy things.

I do write a lot from personal experience, but I also embellish a bit.

I’m not a girl anymore.

I’d love to write for other people.

I’m country through and through.

I was a big shiny, glittery-type person. Now I’m a jeans and T-shirt girl, or I’ll wear sun dresses and cowboy boots in the summer. But at first I had to have stylists tell me,...

When I’m touring, I have to think of workouts that don’t require a gym.

I’m an outdoors girl – I like to go fishing, riding four-wheelers, hunting.

I also have a different, softer side, and I want for people to hear that.

I don’t want to get pigeonholed.

I’ve dated all kinds of guys and didn’t know who I’d end up with. But I kind of assumed it would be someone more like my dad than not.

I’m really fortunate because, in my career, I haven’t had to deal with anybody trying to make me something I’m not.

I’m wide open and raw emotionally to the crowd.

In my everyday life, I’m pretty normal.

People see me as someone who doesn’t take any crap from anyone – which I don’t – but it’s my shtick, and I obviously don’t act like that all the time.

I like to write with people I have a relationship with; otherwise it’s kind of scary, and you hold back because you don’t want to pour your guts out to someone you never met.

My music is about being strong, even in your vulnerability.

I did surveillance a lot, which sounds exciting, but it never was.