Part one of a two-part Q and A series

So there I was minding my own business when ... the phone rang.

"Hi Dennis," the caller said. "This is John Michael Montgomery."

Thus began an interview lasting around 15 minutes. This was on Aug. 15, three days before his scheduled concert at the Grant County Fair.

The country music singer has more than 30 singles on the charts, including two number one country singles of the year in "I swear" and "Sold." He has released 11 albums. Five of his songs have reached the number one position and 13 more have reached within the top 10 area of the charts.

"Life's a dance, learn as you go, sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow ..."

I asked about his outdoor experiences as a youth.

"Well I was born and raised in Kentucky and actually I still live in Kentuck," he said. "There was a time when I thought I was going to move to Tennessee, but I just stayed in Kentucky. A lot of that had to do with all my friends and all the people I grew up with. Of course I grew up living outdoors hunting and fishing and golf. To me golf is a lot like hunting and fishing because I spend a lot of time in the woods looking for that little white ball."

Tell me about your early outdoor influences.

"I grew up with my father and mother and my grandfather on my Dad's side and they all grew up on the farm," he said. "And it was all something they enjoyed, whether it was frog giggin', squirrel huntin' or rabbit huntin'. Or fishing in the pond or going to the lake it was just something we all did, I just followed them around in the beginning."

What happened then?

"Well, we would then bring them back to the table and my mother and grandmother would fix them up," he said. "I will always appreciate this way of life. It's an old heritage and it's been a part of life for my people and most other outdoors-minded people.

So many people now days go to the grocery store for their meat and some people don't know any other way to get it.

I like to go to my grocery store and get my favorite cuts of meat, too, but I really enjoy being able to get it myself."

"I swear, By the moon and the stars in the sky, I'll be there, I swear..."

What is your favorite type of hunting?

"Archery is my favorite; I'm getting ready for a trip to Colorado for my first archery elk hunt. I really enjoy the fact there is so much more you can enjoy while hunting with a bow, such as being up close to the animal at 40 yards or 20 yards, instead of 100 or 300 yards. Also, archery is really one of those ways of life that has been around for thousands of years."

What other types of hunting do you enjoy?

"I love my bird hunting, too. I have a bird dog and go to South Dakota. I like to hunt pheasant, quail and dove."

Next week: The rest of the John Michael Montgomery story.