There's always been quite a little bit of country in my music, my first record, mainly. I was raised listening to country music and people like Rod Stewart and The Rolling Stones with slide guitar, so to me those lines are very, very blurred. People say this record has a country sound, I don't think it does. I'm at odds with people a lot, it's just music to me. I hate not to use all the instruments, whether it's slide guitar or anything else. Songs on my first record like "Don't" or even "You Were Meant For Me" actually had quite a country shuffle to it, probably always happens!

You mentioned that you write songs everywhere, but better in Texas, on a ranch. Is there a place you can't write it?

Oh, when I'm working a lot, I tend not to write. You just don't have the energy to really be creative. I tend to write best outdoors.

You write both poems and songs, so when you have something, how do you know it's a poem or a song?

It decides for me. It just comes as a poem or comes as a song -- it's like knowing if it's day or night. I don't really choose, it just kinda comes that way.

You've been around in this industry for quite some time, what do you think of young girls with guitars like Nelly Furtado, M2M and Michelle Branch?

I think it's great. The more empowered you can be as a musician, the better off you're gonna be in your career. The more you write your songs, the more in control you are, the less you're controlled by other people trying to give you propaganda.

You and your mum started the charity organization Clearwater Project. Have you ever thought of writing a theme song for it? And what would it be like?

I don't know, I've never actually thought of that! That's a good idea, I'll have to think about it.

Do you have a favorite guitar you like to use when performing?

I have lots of them. I have a '65 Telecaster that I like a lot. I have a Taylor cutaway acoustic guitar that I enjoy.

What's the hardest thing about being on the road?

I get homesick really easily, I get lovesick very easily. I love seeing new countries and I like doing live shows. I'm really honored that I can travel around the world and I can do shows. I think going to all the airports every single day gets to be real tiring and hard on your voice and hard on your body.

Tell us, how much of a cowgirl are you?

I was raised on a ranch by a cowboy, so some of it just comes real naturally to me.