Joe Nichols

"The overall physical demand that Iraq has is pretty amazing. It's 130 degrees, and the soldiers are carrying about 100 pounds of extra gear. It's a pretty rigorous schedule and routine for them."

"The people who are competing business-wise out there want what other successful labels and artists have. I don't want what they have I want my own path, my own sound, my own identity. Record labels care nothing about identity or artistic freedom, they want good business."

"Everything that's cool that happens, I look at my wife and I say, 'We need to enjoy this moment right here! This is really special!'"

"In my mind, as long as I did what was right for me, I was cool. But that's not the way it works. You have to think about other people and take their feelings into account."

"There's been a lot of really cool stuff that's happened to me throughout my career, and I remember everything, but I don't think I savored every moment of it like I should have or like I do now."

"Learning how to relive again on life's terms sure doesn't do much for your confidence. You have to kind of walk in faith that the next step is going to be just a little bit better than the last step."