You know, for most of its life bluegrass has had this stigma of being all straw hats and hay bales and not necessarily the most sophisticated form of music. Yet you can't help responding to its honesty. It's music that finds its way deep into your soul because it's strings vibrating against wood and nothing else.

Bluegrass has brought more people together and made more friends than any music in the world. You meet people at festivals and renew acquaintances year after year.

I like all kinds of music. I listen to Abigail Washburn the Punch Brothers and Marc Johnson the great clawhammer player. I also listen a lot to Sirius Radio there's a lot of bluegrass there.

I feel good about being able to take bluegrass on to television like 'Letterman' and 'The View ' and I've heard nice things about being able to do that. I really haven't felt any negativity toward me or my music.