I had always loved music. I grew up listening to classic country Waylon Jennings Merle Haggard. My dad loved Vern Gosdin and Keith Whitley. So I kept going to class and started getting totally into playing guitar and teaching myself these songs.

I always had a standard of back when I was doing the country music I always told people I would never record a song that I wouldn't sit down and sing in front of my mom and dad.

My dad is a bank president and my mom was an accountant and they didn't think that seeking the life of a freelance writer was very practical you see. Of course I was just as determined to do it.

I went to my dad when I was 17 and said 'I want to be a country music star.' Which every dad loves to hear. And he said 'I want you to go to college.' So we had a discussion. And I'm pretty stubborn. I'm a lot like him. And he said 'If you go to college and graduate I'll pay your first six months of rent in Nashville.' So he bribed me.

My dad was a huge country music fan but he also had a band and he sang. So he'd listen to a lot of music and the songs that he'd learn for the band were more from the male artists. So my earliest country memories were Waylon Jennings Conway Twitty George Jones Johnny Paycheck even.

I was into all kinds of music as a teen - country music because my dad was in a band that played country and whatever my sister and brother were into.

I had the opportunity to go to law school and my dad who was an accountant couldn't believe I wanted to walk away from that and start cooking.

My dad is like a cactus - introverted and tough. I'm a people person like my mom but I got my competitiveness from my dad. He came to this country from Belarus with nothing and built a real business. He's my hero for giving me that need to run a business and for having enormous confidence in me.

My dad was a Communist Party member who fought for his country.

I haven't been baptised. My dad's not in the church and is not a religious person. My mum is more spiritual - she does Thai-chi and goes to Stonehenge and things like that. I'm proud to be pagan. Finland is not really a religious country. I'm still looking for my god.

My Dad used to tell us: 'En este pais ustedes van a poder lograr todas las cosas que nosotros no pudimos' 'In this country you will be able to accomplish all the things we never could.'

Now my dad is with me traveling with me and a big part of this whole thing is I like to mix it up a little bit you know. Who gets to take their father on a private jet across the country and stay in first class hotels? So we're enjoying it but I'd stop if it's not possible.

My dad said to me growing up: 'When all is said and done if you can count all your true friends on one hand you're a lucky man.'

If my father had hugged me even once I'd be an accountant right now.

I know this president. And I can tell you that he cares deeply about the next generation of young women in this country - his daughters and everyone's daughters. President Obama had the courage to stand with Sandra Fluke. Without hesitation he defended her right to tell her story.

The criteria for serving one's country should be competence courage and willingness to serve. When we deny people the chance to serve because of their sexual orientation we deprive them of their rights of citizenship and we deprive our armed forces the service of willing and capable Americans.

Courage is poorly housed that dwells in numbers the lion never counts the herd that are about him nor weighs how many flocks he has to scatter.

And I think most people in this country want to see a president that's got the courage to say we're going to cut the tax burden and reduce the regulatory climate and we're going to get Americans working.

Courage is what preserves our liberty safety life and our homes and parents our country and children. Courage comprises all things.

Leaders come in many forms with many styles and diverse qualities. There are quiet leaders and leaders one can hear in the next county. Some find strength in eloquence some in judgment some in courage.

Let's drink to the spirit of gallantry and courage that made a strange Heaven out of unbelievable Hell and let's drink to the hope that one day this country of ours which we love so much will find dignity and greatness and peace again.

Success is not measured by what you accomplish but by the opposition you have encountered and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.

Success is not final failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

Success is never final failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts.