''I always tell people if that kind of success had come to me at a much later age I think I would have been able to have handled it much better, however that being said, I handled it probably better than most just because of the foundation that I had and the great family and the camp that I had around me,'' he said.
''They were the type of people that they would never let me stray too far. It was definitely a whirlwind and moved very fast. Living out of a suitcase is really very normal for me. I still love it, and actually right now, as busy as things are, it's starting to feel like that again - hectic. But I feel that I work best under those kind of scenarios, when things are kind of crazy.''White spent nearly six years away from the commercial country music circuit, focusing instead on raising his two sons - Justin, 7, and Jackson, 6 - with wife Erika Page.
Now 37, His describes fatherhood as one of life's greatest gifts.
''Being a dad does so many things for your personal life,'' White said. ''It causes you to really focus on how selfish we really can be. It really helps you sort of chisel who you are as a human being and begin to refine yourself in a good way.
''I think the biggest blessing in life for me has been being able to have that role of being a dad. You want to do all those things, and with all due respect to your parents, you want to try and do better than they did and try not to make mistakes. Of course, we're all going to make mistakes, but it does so many things for you. It makes you look at people differently. You relate to a lot more people. When you're on a plane you have amazing conversations with people that are parents as well. I think it's just done so many amazing things for me perspective-wise.''
With this fresh perspective White has returned and rewarded his long-waiting fans with a new studio album, Dustbowl Dreams.
White says it is a fine representation of his current place in the world.
''I'm grown up,'' he said of the music. ''In the early 90s I was a kid. I love to sing a great melody but I think that now, with this record as opposed to something from the past, it's just a lot more seasoned. You can tell that a lot of life has happened since the beginning.
''My writing perspective is so much more broad - I've got so much more to write about and this record is really just about my experiences and real life. I would say that the subject matter is a little deeper. In terms of stylistically, it's not too much different. Sonically, it sounds incredible to me, and I think it's just a lot more aggressive a record in terms of production.''
Joining White on the release, for the track Hands Of Time, is Steve Wariner.''He's one of my best friends,'' White said. ''Steve was my hero growing up - I wanted to be Steve when I was a kid and I couldn't wait to get to Nashville and hopefully one day meet him. Now, looking back, it's just so great to know him personally.
''We've worked together quite a bit. We write - we've had some songs recorded by other artists as well. Just having him a part of it is over the top.''
In his American press surrounding the release, White was quoted as saying he no longer had anything to prove, but still had much to say via his music.
''I don't know that that necessarily applies to Australia, because I feel like maybe I do have something to prove,'' he laughed.
''It's kind of a statement that I have to tell myself because if I don't I will start putting those old pressures on myself and feel like I constantly need to prove myself to the industry and my peers.
''That's something I tell myself to remind myself, 'hey, you don't have to beat yourself up, you just have to be yourself and the past is the past and you've already shown people what you are capable of, just rest in that and do the best you can'. That's where that statement came from.''
These days White's name is being touted by numerous emerging artists as having been an influence.
Even Carrie Underwood is a fan.
''I know a lot of people out there would say, 'well that's got to be normal for you', but it's never something that's passe to me,'' White said.
''I know Carrie, she's a dear friend and yes she's a huge star, but I've been all of the same places that all of those people have been, so they're just human beings and I just see them as exceptional people and artists that are paying me a compliment and it really boosts my confidence. It makes me feel good when I hear somebody compliment what I've done in the past.''
Passing on his skills is also something that also excites White. Earlier this year he joined the rosters of The Songwriter Agency Inc.
''It's awesome,'' he said. ''I've just started working with them. I'm actually on the roster with Steve Wariner and we're hopefully going to be doing some stuff down the road, but they're focus is on booking their artists to go do songwriting workshops, maybe where we will be in a scenario to teach aspiring songwriters''He's one of my best friends,'' White said. ''Steve was my hero growing up - I wanted to be Steve when I was a kid and I couldn't wait to get to Nashville and hopefully one day meet him. Now, looking back, it's just so great to know him personally.
''We've worked together quite a bit. We write - we've had some songs recorded by other artists as well. Just having him a part of it is over the top.''
In his American press surrounding the release, White was quoted as saying he no longer had anything to prove, but still had much to say via his music.
''I don't know that that necessarily applies to Australia, because I feel like maybe I do have something to prove,'' he laughed.
''It's kind of a statement that I have to tell myself because if I don't I will start putting those old pressures on myself and feel like I constantly need to prove myself to the industry and my peers.
''That's something I tell myself to remind myself, 'hey, you don't have to beat yourself up, you just have to be yourself and the past is the past and you've already shown people what you are capable of, just rest in that and do the best you can'. That's where that statement came from.''
These days White's name is being touted by numerous emerging artists as having been an influence.
Even Carrie Underwood is a fan.
''I know a lot of people out there would say, 'well that's got to be normal for you', but it's never something that's passe to me,'' White said.
''I know Carrie, she's a dear friend and yes she's a huge star, but I've been all of the same places that all of those people have been, so they're just human beings and I just see them as exceptional people and artists that are paying me a compliment and it really boosts my confidence. It makes me feel good when I hear somebody compliment what I've done in the past.''
Passing on his skills is also something that also excites White. Earlier this year he joined the rosters of The Songwriter Agency Inc.
''It's awesome,'' he said. ''I've just started working with them. I'm actually on the roster with Steve Wariner and we're hopefully going to be doing some stuff down the road, but they're focus is on booking their artists to go do songwriting workshops, maybe where we will be in a scenario to teach aspiring songwriters