How do you maintain your stamina?
A: Well, I don’t smoke.
I’m a runner.
I run every day at home and a couple of days a week when I’m on the road.
It beats sightseeing from a cab!
Q:You also look young.
What’s your secret?
A: I’m a very happy man!
[Laughs] My beautiful wife, Julie, is the love of my life.
We have three grown children, plus a 12-year-old daughter still at home.
I love listening to Taylor Swift with her; seeing the world through her eyes keeps you timeless.
When you’re older and good things happen to you, you actually recognize them.
Q:Your new album pairs you with younger artists like Miranda Lambert, Jennifer Hudson and Kid Rock.
Why did you take that approach?
It was such a refreshing idea!
I got to make new music with many of the artists who are at the top of my list.
I told them to pick one of my songs that in itself revealed their personality.
Then I said, “I don’t just want to remake an old record.
Let’s envision this song in a new way.”
With Keith Urban, I said, “I’ve seen you play the banjo really well.
That might lend a really cool flavor to this.”
And that’s exactly what happened.
Q:The cover ofWrote a Song for Everyonedraws on your fondness for flannel shirts.
What do they symbolize for you?
A: They’re very American, for starters.
When I see someone else wearing a plaid shirt, I think of the “cowboy way.”
The shirts are comfortable, and I feel warm and happy when I wear one.
You walk in my closet, and it’s pretty much just flannel shirts in different colors.
