I was a good student. My mom is a teacher, and her side of the family is all teachers. She put a big emphasis on getting good grades.Collection: Teacher
Just true to form with life sometimes - what you're trying to do doesn't necessarily work out, but what ends up happening can be a lot better. I just relax and say whatever is going to happen - happens.
I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No one really dug it. It was very Americana and had a lot of folk elements in it.
I have come to terms with the fact that it's called pop music - that's what I play, and that is what I write. I think it is a pretty broad category.
I base my roots and history in old blues, old country and old bluegrass, and I like rock 'n' roll, and somehow it all came together, and that is what I am playing now.
In general, I'm pretty shy and nervous about a lot of things. For me to get on stage for the first time took so many times at an open mic before I finally got on stage and did it.
Getting on stage, for me, was a huge thing when I first started. And back in high school, everyone was in rock bands and I was a singer/songwriter. It just seems kind of lame.
I like to read really good books - anything that's really great, whether it's fiction, non-fiction, how-to, or whatever.
I grew up doing theater and music, and in fact, I spent more time doing theater, and I'd do music when I could.
The reason I like doing these acting projects is because no matter how much acting I do, I'll always have music in my life. I love having both.
My favorite part of touring is when I see girls that I've been talking to on my site and then meeting them in person. I can't believe how well the fans get along together. Everyone just seems to be really cool.
When I got signed, I wanted to be involved in a charity, but it was hard because I didn't know which problems to start with.
Kids think books are cool, especially when they see that people they think books are cool are reading.
Whether or not I would be able to be an actor without the music I'm not sure, but I feel pretty lucky to do it.
It's hard to deny talent. If you're good, you're good.Collection: Talent
My world on the road always ends up feeling really small which is ironic because that's when I'm seeing the most places and meeting the most people!Collection: People
Education is one of the most important tools that you can give somebody.Collection: Giving
It's like a dream sometimes, a song just pops into your head and you can't tell if it's something you heard or it's new and you got to write it down.Collection: Dream
I've been really lucky to have a lot of cool people and to be around a lot of cool celebrities that I've got to learn from.Collection: People
I never was strutting through the hallways like, "Yeah, I'm a singer/songwriter." That's never a cool thing to do - to be the brooding guy.Collection: Guy
I can't figure out why fans keep coming, maybe it's because they dig the songs.Collection: Song
I don't know how to make magic. For most songwriter's that has only happened once or twice, and I don't know how to re-create that. I know that there are some tricks and tools, but the magic is the amazing part.Collection: Magic
I don't how many of us get to go to the next level, and I don't know how many people on my level get to go to the next level after that. I think it is the songs that can take you there.Collection: Song
A lot of people can figure out the social media aspect of it, or the merchandising aspect, or whatever and get enough momentum to start a career. To sustain it, you have to keep writing and you have to keep creating.Collection: Writing
As an independent artist it is so easy to get caught up in websites, social media, merchandise, when I am going to put out an EP, fining a producer, finding a studio to record in and you have to remember at the end of the day you should be writing music.Collection: Independent
I went from living with my parents, to being signed out of high school. I have never, not had a boss, or someone else responsible for me. It is really cool as an artist to have that freedom.Collection: School
I think one of the reasons that I love the fans that have stuck around, because I really enjoy writing different kinds of songs. I don't know if I write them well or not, but I can write them.Collection: Song
There is also something exciting about the risk. Somewhere in me is a sadist that likes pain, I guess.Collection: Pain
Music comes out of me most naturally and would be the hardest to give up forever.Collection: Giving Up