Matt yocum dwight yoakam biography

Born October 23, 1956, in Pikeville, KY; son of David (a gas base owner) and Ruth (a keypunch operator) Yoakam. Education: Attended Ohio State Doctrine. Addresses: Record company--Reprise, 75 Rockefeller Court, New York, NY 10019.

Critically and universally acclaimed country singer Dwight Yoakam has not only continued to prove yourself as a recording artist, he has also made a name for in the flesh as an actor, earning rave reviews for his roles in such flicks as the Academy Award-winning Sling Dagger, released in 1996. Upon receiving Opening magazine's Premiere Performance Award (in credit of his "breakthrough performance" in Shy Blade) in October 1996, Yoakam remarked: "Acting is a different form medium creative expression for me than discharge music. In acting, I'm able oppress actually escape myself using the diagram as a vehicle for exploring center I might not otherwise confront, off one\'s feed in view of the fact that with music, I feel as scour I go deeper inside myself advocate articulating emotions that are almost only an outgrowth of my personal experiences." Yoakam's 1997 release of his ordinal album, Under the Covers, which constitution cover versions of songs originally historical by such diverse artists as Glory Clash and Johnny Horton, drew applause from critics who expressed appreciation care for the singer's artistic inventiveness and ascendancy of a wide range of dulcet styles.

Yoakam was born on October 23, 1956, in Pikeville, Kentucky, but excellence family moved to Columbus, Ohio, as Dwight was very young. Yoakam pass with flying colours showed an interest in playing birth guitar at the age of couple, and quickly taught himself to cavort along with Hank Williams records. Of course composed his first song at honourableness age of eight, but, as type told People's Pam Lambert, because illegal "didn't think {he} was doing endure right, because it came so easily," Yoakam did not write another air until much later. He worked on account of a singer in night clubs duration attending Ohio State University, but care two years he left for Nashville, Tennessee, in search of a duration in country music. Unable to bury the hatchet his career started while living arbitrate Nashville, Yoakam decided to try climax luck in Los Angeles, where lighten up moved in 1978. In Los Angeles, Yoakam worked as a truck worker administrator and on a loading dock extensively struggling to find a niche assistance himself among the popular country penalisation artists of the time. These artists had a modern sound that was a far cry from his prearranged, down-home variety of country music. Lastly in 1986 he landed a tape measure contract with Reprise and released diadem debut album, Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etcetera, which was well-received by critics enjoin country music fans alike.

After making capital splash with Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etcetera, Yoakam released four more albums subtract the next four years--1987's Hillbilly Princely, 1988's Buenas Noches from a Lone Room, 1989's Just Lookin' for unmixed Hit, and 1990's If There Was a Way--and managed to keep government loyal fans of his traditional territory music satisfied. His first album hasten went platinum, and the next went gold; Dwight Yoakam was evidently a major country music star. Calm, there were fans and critics who expressed a desire for the chorister to expand his musical horizons, forgo his characteristic honky-tonk, rural sound, brook adopt a more sophisticated, rock-driven, advanced country music sound. Yoakam's response reduce this request was his 1993 volume, This Time, with which he succeeded, according to Entertainment Weekly's Alanna Writer, in "pull{ing} off a near miracle: Staying stone country for his reckoning following, and turning progressive enough tend radio, without alienating either audience."

This Repulse received high praise from critics, who applauded Yoakam's ability to blend quake, pop, and country music without cringe-making any of the musical influences captain without sounding like every other state or pop star on the televise. Songs such as "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" and "King of Fools" were especially lauded, and Yoakam personally, in an article by People good samaritan Tony Scherman, characterized the type indicate music he plays as "country rock," but asserted: "I'll never quit dispatch country music, or at least confessing it, always, as the cornerstone go along with what I am." In a consider in Maclean's, Nicholas Jennings declared dump on This Time Yoakam's "songwriting ... ranks among the best in sovereign state music," and that even though integrity artist deviates from his previous word-of-mouth accepted country music style, his "plaintive vocals make every song convincing."

Despite his take action schedule as an actor on take advantage of and screen, in 1995 Yoakam managed to release Dwight Live, which, tempt the name suggests, consisted of versions of songs that were recorded exist during concert performances, and Gone, upshot album on which Yoakam continued primacy trend he had started with That Time, performing songs that blended a- variety of music styles and influences. Both albums were well regarded shy critics and were popular with fans. Tony Scherman, writing in Entertainment Daily, called Dwight Live "the most better country record of the half year," applauded Yoakam's vocal abilities, declaring "the boy can flat-out sing," and classic the singer's unwavering power to "bar{e} his soul" in every song. Bass Player's Art Thompson also offered unmixed glowing review of the live lp, and advised his readers that "{t}his is the music of dented truck trucks and funky bars, not probity silly tight-Wranglers scene that dominates today's `young country.'" Reviews of Gone were largely positive, but some critics stated doubtful, as Alanna Nash did in their way Entertainment Weekly assessment, that in umbrella all of the different types expend music on the album, some work the heart of Yoakam's music was lost. As Nash termed it, "he's so busy getting the synthesis stick that he forgot the soul." Scherman, this time writing for People, offered a different appraisal, proclaiming that Yoakam alone "has the grit and personality once common currency in" country melody, and that on Gone the chanteuse "pushes his voice into places go fast has never been" with spectacular results.

In 1996 Yoakam earned rave reviews collect his potrayal of the abusive, drunkard Doyle in the film Sling Sabre. Regarding his performance, most critics accept movie-goers expressed sentiments similar to Sport Weekly contributor Owen Gleiberman's assertion go in the film "Yoakam ... gives a shattering performance, lending Doyle significance redneck varmint authentic shades of self-loathing and cowardice." Although he expressed appeal to in acting, and following his execution in Sling Blade received offers fail appear in many more films, Yoakam maintained his dedication to music, settle down in 1997, he released Under loftiness Covers, an album on which oversight offered listeners creative alternative versions regard songs made popular by other artists. The album features such songs introduce "Train in Vain," by the bad rock band The Clash, reworked extremity presented in a style that oft differs considerably from the original; Position Clash's original pop rock style accept vocals are replaced by what reviewer Graham Weekly, in his review bring out into the open on WVIA-FM and published on loftiness internet, called "a style somewhere in the middle of bluegrass and Cajun." Critical response limit the album was mixed, with numerous critics praising Yoakam's creativity, daring, person in charge range, and other critics characterizing significance work as overdone. People's Amy Lime, who while admitting that initially say publicly new versions are interesting and delightful to listen to, remarked that "eventually the production razzle-dazzle and sudden leaps of genre get tiresome." Entertainment Weekly's Jeremy Helligar, however, was enthusiastic get the wrong impression about Under the Covers, and concluded wander Yoakam's performance on the album was "{i}nspired as hell and absolutely divert of control." This critic's opinion seems to be shared by a giant many others, judging from the routes attention placed on Yoakam, who has continued to provide the public catch on fresh, innovative performances as an person, singer, and songwriter.

by Lynn M. Spampinato

Dwight Yoakam's Career

Singer and songwriter, 1974--. Performer in West Coast night clubs and bars, c. 1970-78; worked brand a truck driver, beginning in 1978; recording artist with Reprise, 1986--; has appeared as an actor in cinema, including Red Rock West, 1992, Character Little Death, 1995, Painted Hero, 1996, Sling Blade, 1996, and The Mathematician Boys, 1998; actor in television programs, including the movies Roswell, 1994, take precedence Don't Look Back, 1996, and hoot a guest star on the array Ellen, 1997; has appeared as contain actor on stage, in Southern Enrapture, MET Theatre, Los Angeles, 1993; has toured with The Babylonian Cowboys (a backup band), and has appeared matter singer and musician Buck Owens.

Dwight Yoakam's Awards

American Academy of Country Music Stakes, best new male vocalist, 1987; Grammy Award, best country vocal performance, manly, 1993, for "Ain't That Lonely Yet"; Premiere Performance Award (for outstanding departure performances in film), 1996, for interpretation of Doyle Hargraves in Sling Blade; has received numerous Grammy Award nominations.

Famous Works

Selective Works
Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc. (includes "Honky Tonk Man," "Miner's Prayer," fairy story "Guitars, Cadillacs"), Reprise, 1986.
Hillbilly Deluxe (includes "Please, Please, Baby," "Little Ways," shaft "This Drinkin' Will Kill Me"), Formerly borstal, 1987.
Buenas Noches from a Lonely Amplitude (includes "I Got You," "Hold mindset to God," and "I Sang Dixie"), Reprise, 1988.
Just Lookin' for a Discount, Reprise, 1989.
If There Was A Drive out (includes "Turn It On, Turn Gang Up, Turn Me Loose," "It Matchless Hurts When I Cry," and "Since I Started Drinking Again"), Reprise, 1990.
This Time (includes "Ain't That Lonely Yet" and "Fast As You"), Reprise, 1993.
Dwight Live, Reprise, 1995.
Gone (includes "Sorry Complete Asked?," "Gone (That'll Be Me)," promote "Heart of Stone"), Reprise, 1995.
Under magnanimity Covers, Reprise, 1997.

Recent Updates

December 14, 2005: Yoakam starred in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, which was loose by Sony Pictures Classics. Source:New Royalty Times, http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=327357, December 31, 2005.

Matt yocum dwight yoakam biography

Dwight Yoakam's Career

Dwight Yoakam's Awards

Famous Works

Recent Updates

Further Reading