Ain’t That Lonely Yet

Background:

An alternative country star, who helped return country music to its roots in the late ‘80s, musician/actor/director Dwight Yoakam rose to prominence with his debut country album Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. (1986), which featured the hit songs “Honky Tonk Man” and “Guitars, Cadillacs.” One of the most respected and adventurous recording country artists, Yoakam received even more acclaim and appreciation in 1993 when he took home a Grammy Award for his brilliant work in the single “Ain’t That Lonely Yet” (taken from the 1993’s This Time). A native of Pikeville, Kentucky, Yoakam also established himself in the music scene with such successful albums as Hillbilly Deluxe (1987), Buenos Noches from a Lonely Room (1988) and If There Was a Way (1990). His more recent credits include Tomorrow’s Sounds Today (2000), Others’ Words (2003), Population Me (2003), Blame the Vain (2005) and the live album Live from Austin, TX (2005).

As a film actor, Yoakam made a name for himself in the cinematic industry after portraying abusive alcoholic Doyle in Billy Bob Thornton’s Sling Blade (1996). Due to his impressive performance, Yoakam earned a nomination at the Screen Actors Guild in 1997. After the impressive performance, he worked on several projects like Painted Hero (1997), The Newton Boys (1998), The Minus Man (1999), South of Heaven, West of Hell (2000, took on triple duties as an actor, director and composer), Panic Room (2002), the independent 3-Way (2004), The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005), Wedding Crashers (2005), Bandidas (2006) and Land of Canaan (2006).

As for his private life, brown-haired, blue-eyed, Yoakam had dated several actresses though he remains single now. During 1999-2001, he was romantically involved with Bridget Fonda (born on January 27, 1964) after splitting from Karen Duffy (born on May 23, 1962). He also once dated Sharon Stone, who was notably quoted as saying “Kissing Dwight was like eating a dirt sandwich.”


Flowers for Algernon

Childhood and Family:

In Pikeville, Kentucky, Dwight David Yoakam was born on October 23, 1956. Along with his brother Ronald and his sister Kimberly, Dwight was raised in Columbus, Ohio, by parents David Yoakam and Ruth Ann Yoakam. At a very young age, Dwight showed his great passion for music. Learning the guitar at age six, young Dwight spent much of his early years listening to his mom’s record collection, honing in on the conventional country of Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, as well as the Bakersfield honky tonk of Buck Owens.

Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, Dwight attended Columbus’s Northland High School and excelled in both drama and music. He participated in a number of school plays and frequently took home the leads like in the stage version of “Flowers for Algernon,” playing Charlie. In addition, Dwight usually appeared as the class clown and liked to impersonate many politicians and celebrities which included Richard Nixon. Outside of school, he became highly involved with several local garage bands, in which he sang and played guitar. Upon graduation in 1974, Dwight briefly enrolled at The Ohio State University, but he quickly left school and moved to Nashville in the late 1970s to pursue a career in music. Dwight later also added acting to his endeavors.


Sling Blade

Career:

Displaying a love for music at a very young age, Dwight Yoakam, who wrote his first song, “How Far Is Heaven,” at age nine, relocated to Nashville in the late 1970s to pursue a music career. Finding the town was in the grasp of the pop-oriented urban cowboy movement and had no interest in his updated honky tonk, Yoakam and his newly met friend, guitarist Pete Anderson, soon headed for Los Angeles to try their luck. In Los Angeles, the pair began performing live with such roots-rock bands as The Blasters and Los Lobos, as well as punk bands like Kennedys, Butthole Surfers and X.

In 1984, Yoakam released his first recording, an independent EP titled A Town South of Bakersfield, which earned significant airplay on Los Angeles college and alternative radio stations. Lured by the initial success, Yoakam finally launched his full-length debut album, Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc, in 1986 after signing a recording deal with Reprise Records. The album was an instant success, spawning such hits as a cover of Johnny Horton's “Honky Tonk Man” and “Guitars, Cadillacs.” In addition, the album received positive response from rock and country critics and was finally certified platinum. As for Yoakam, the album’s huge victory subsequently made him a star.

Yoakam’s sophomore album, Hillbilly Deluxe, hit the music shelves in the following year. With the Top Ten hits like “Little Sister,” “Little Ways,” “Please, Please Baby” and “Always Late with Your Kisses,” the album also scored the same victory as its predecessor. The artist’s next album, Buenos Noches from a Lonely Room (1988), further established his reputation as triumphant performer, spawning No. 1 hit tracks like “Streets of Bakersfield” (a duet with Buck Owens) and “I Sang Dixie,” as well as the Top Five single “I Got You.” The 1990’s album, If There Was a Way, was another best-seller.

Three years later, Yoakam gained even more recognition with the release of This Time. The No. 2 hit single, “Ain’t That Lonely Yet,” won a 1993 Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance. The album also contained other hits like “A Thousand Miles from Nowhere” and “Fast as You,” which became No. 2 on the charts. This Time finally received platinum certification.

Following a two year hiatus from the music industry, he returned with the 1995’s Dwight Live and its follow-up, the gold album Gone, was released later that same year. The following years saw the musician continue his prolific career by releasing a number of studio albums like Come On Christmas (1997), Under The Covers (1997), A Long Way Home (1998), dwightyoakamacoustic.net (2000), Tomorrow’s Sounds Today (2000) and South Of Heaven, West Of Hell (Soundtrack, 2001) and In Others’ Words (2003). In 2003, Yoakam signed with a new label named Audium and made his debut with Population Me. The following year, he released Dwight’s Used Records, a 14-track compilation of duets that appeared on other artists’ albums. 2005 marked the release of Yoakam’s all-new material album, the self-produced Blame the Vain. It was accompanied by the live album Live from Austin, TX (2005).

After establishing himself in the music business, Yoakam set his sights on his second love, acting. In 1991, he began a professional acting career with the short-lived CBS series “P.S. I Luv You,” in which he guest starred as Harlan Justice. Yoakam also scored critical success on stage when he made his debut in Peter Fonda’s “Southern Rapture.” For his role as a mental patient, the multi-talented performer won praise and appreciation. A year before, he debuted on the big screen with John Dahl’s Red Rock West (1992), playing a truck driver who had an unforgettable encounter with Nicolas Cage. Next up, Yoakam once again appeared as a rancher in the made-for-TV film Roswell (1994), portrayed photographer Bobby Lomax in the direct-to-video The Little Death (1995) and as a skipper in the television film Don’t Look Back (1996). But, it was his performance as insulting alcoholic Doyle Hargraves in Billy Bob Thornton’s Sling Blade (1996) that gave Yoakam widespread attention as an actor. He was also nominated for an Outstanding Performance by a Cast award at the 1997’s Screen Actors Guild. The following years saw roles in Painted Hero (1997), The Newton Boys (1998), When Trumpets Fade (1998, TV) and The Minus Man (1999). In 2000, he penned, helmed, starred in and composed the music for the movie South of Heaven, West of Hell, an interesting western whose miscellaneous cast included Vince Vaughn, Peter Fonda and Paul Reubens. Yoakam was next cast as a psychotic killer in Jodie Foster’s vehicle Panic Room (2002), was featured in the action-comedy Hollywood Homicide (2003, starring Harrison Ford), joined the cast of the independent 3-Way (2004), played the supporting role of Sheriff Belmont in Tommy Lee Jones’s The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) and appeared as Mr. Kroeger in the Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn comedy Wedding Crashers (2005).

Recently, Yoakam had a feature role in the western movie Bandidas (2006). The Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg-directed film starred Penélope Cruz, Salma Hayek and Steve Zahn. He also costarred opposite Julianne Michelle and Tara Reid in the horror Land of Canaan (2006), directed by Reginald La France.


Awards:

- Grammy: Best Country Vocal Performance, “Ain’t That Lonely Yet,” 1993