Home > Dwight Yoakam
Dwight Yoakam at the unveiling of his Hollywood star.Dwight David Yoakam (born October 23, 1956) is an American musician, songwriter, and actor.
1 Biography
Yoakam was born in Pikeville, Kentucky, and raised in Columbus, Ohio. He later graduated from Ohio State University. When he began his career, Nashville was oriented towards pop Urban Cowboy music, and Yoakam's brand of Bakersfield honky tonk was not considered marketable. He began playing live in the Los Angeles area, performing with punk bands like Dead Kennedys, Butthole Surfers and X; and roots-rock bands The Blasters and Los LobosLos Lobos is an American rock band, heavily influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country music, folk, R&B, blues, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music such as boleros and nortenos. Los Lobos released an independent EP in the late 1970s, and a second.
Yoakam debuted with the college radio staple A Town South of BakersfieldA Town South of Bakersfield is Dwight Yoakam's college radio staple he debuted with. in 1984This page is about the year 1984. For other uses of 1984, see 1984 (disambiguation). 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday (link shows calendar). Events January January 1 Brunei becomes a fully independent state January 1 AT&T is broken up into 22 indepe ( 1984 in musicSee also 1983 in music, other events of 1984, 1985 in music, 1980s in music and the list of 'years in music' Events January 28 singer Michael Jackson's hair catches fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial. February 14 Elton John marries studio engin). His debut LP was 19861986 is a common year starting on Wednesday. Events January January 1 Spain and Portugal enter the European Community January 1 Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands and is separated from the Netherlands Antilles. January 9 After losing a pa's Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. and it instantly launched his career ( 1986 in musicSee also 1985 in music, other events of 1986, 1987 in music, 1980s in music and the list of 'years in music' Events January 23 The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ( Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, Everly Brothers, B). "Honky Tonk Man" ( Johnny HortonJohn Gale "Johnny" Horton ( April 30, 1925 November 5, 1960) was an American country music singer. He was born in Los Angeles, California and died in a car crash near Milano, Texas. In September 1953 he married Billie Jean Jones Eshliman, who, in late 195) and "Guitars, Cadillacs" were hit singles. The follow-up LP, Hillbilly Deluxe , was just as successful. His third LP, Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room , included his first #1, a duet with Buck OwensBuck Owens (born August 12, 1929) is an American country singer who defined the gritty " Bakersfield sound. Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. was born in Sherman, Texas, the son of sharecroppers. He chose the nickname "Buck" after a family horse (or a mule — reports, "Streets of Bakersfield". 1990's ( 1990 in music) If There Was a Way was another best-seller.
Yoakam has also taken some acting roles, most notably as the abusive alcoholic Doyle in Billy Bob Thornton's Sling Blade ( 1996) and as a psychotic killer in 2002's Panic Room.
Having diverged from pop-icon status in country-western faire, Yoakam is today more likely to be identified as having an older, or more traditional style, and mentioned with his contemporaries such as George Strait. But along with his bluegrass and honky-tonk roots, Yoakam has written or covered many Elvis Presley-style rockabilly songs, including his popular covers of Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" in 1999 and Presley's "Suspicious Minds."
