People ask me where I got my singing style. I didn't copy my style from anybody . . . . Country music was always an influence on my kind of music.

It represented a diverse array of country-music style as well as a diverse array of artists. We knew there were extremely high expectations, and I think this show exceeded those high expectations.

We're expecting people from across the country and even from Europe. Country music is on the upswing again, and everyone wants to learn the latest dances.

Country music has been here forever, but for years a lot of people who listened to country music were ashamed to admit it. What I really think started it booming was Ray Charles and his hit I Can't Stop Loving You.

I never gave up on country music because I knew what I was doing was not that bad.

I didn't know much about him, and I wasn't a big country music fan. I listened to the Beatles and David Bowie, so I didn't know a lot about him.