Q. Would it be rude to tell a lady that she seems like an old soul?
A. No. At least not me. I like that.
Q. You’ll be in Massachusetts when you turn 40. Any big plans?
A. I hope not!
Q. You’ve had such a long career already, it seems remarkable that you haven’t even reached 40 yet.
A. Well, I don’t think about it that much. I , ah … It’s been a very interesting life. Pretty special. As long as I keep my teeth for a while, I’m happy.
Q. Is this the longest the band has been out of the studio?
A. Well, it’s the longest between albums. I’ve been in the studio. I made a record for Alan Jackson. There’s a European compilation that Dan [Tyminski, guitar, mandolin] made. Ron [Block, banjo, guitar] made two, Jerry [Douglas, Dobro] made two. But as a whole new band album, it’s been seven years.
Q. Was it a transition to get settled back into the studio, or was it pretty easy, considering how comfortable you’ve grown with each other?
A. A little bit of both. There were different circumstances on this one. I was not well. I had a migraine every day for 2 ½ months. It was hard for me to focus, to work like I normally do. Usually it’s pretty obvious what I don’t like and do like. Whether it’s right or wrong, it’s a guide. This time it was really hard. Everything was pretty gray.
Q. Did you solve that problem?
A. Yeah. It’s pretty inconsistent now when I get them. Acupuncture made the difference. I had a friend who suggested it. He said this woman had changed his life, and she did mine as well.
Q. So this will go down as an unusual recording experience for you - you’re going to remember this record tied to the migraines.
A. It was pretty rough, yeah. I missed a lot of days in the studio even after we’d tracked, because I just couldn’t move.
Q. In an age when the music industry is a little uncertain, it seems like you’ve had a pretty special relationship with your label, [Burlington’s] Rounder Records, over the years.
