Pam Tillis finds Britain reminds her of the South

Q: Does modern country music, which sometimes strays into the pop arena, ever sound foreign to you?

A: I never considered myself a purist, but I find myself sounding a little bit like one sometimes. I start feeling overprotective of a certain sound. I take issue when someone's doing pop and rock and roll, which I like by the way. If people are doing pop music, they ought to just call it what it is.

Q: Talk about your songwriting process.

A: I wish I had an easy answer. There's a lot of suffering. I named my publishing company "Blood, Sweat and Ink." I start with a title. I just try to keep a little journal when I'm out on the road. Some writers can just sit down with a blank sheet of paper and start writing. That terrifies me.

Q: Given the crummy economy and general state of things, what do you feel needs to be expressed through song right now?

A: There was a song I discovered recently, Catie Curtis' song "World Don't Owe Me." It's talking about the things that are free in life, they're just blessings. They're a gift. That song reminded me that people need a different slant on reality. That's what music is. It's a release from all of that. It's a balm for people. Life will go on. We'll get through this hard time. We'll rebuild.

Q: Has being the daughter of country music legend Mel Tillis made things easier for you as a country singer, or do you feel a responsibility to live up to his name?

A: All of the above. It's a wonderful legacy, but there are times when it can be kind of a cross to bear. That's being really blunt. It was daunting in a way. Thank God I'm hardheaded, that's all I've got to say!