A singer who fused honky-tonk with rock and roll, Dwight Yoakam, with his trademark white cowboy hat, emerged during the late 1980s as one of the more respected country artists. In the early 90s, he began branching out into acting at which he has proven equally adept.
Born in Kentucky in 1956, Yoakam was raised in Columbus, OH. Learning the guitar at a young age, he showed an early facility for music and by high school had joined a succession of bands. He moved to Nashville to pursue a career but found his music, which owed much to the rockabilly roots of country was out of vogue. Hooking up with guitarist Pete Anderson who shared his sensibilities, the two headed to L.A. where they found a more appreciative audience. An independently recorded extended play record, "A Town South of Bakersfield" (1984), won airplay on college and alternative radio stations and led to contract with Reprise Records. Yoakam's debut album, "Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc." (1986), was a hit on the country charts and featured his first Top Five hit. Subsequent albums have spawned numerous Top Ten records and in 1994 Yoakam received the Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal.
Yoakam began to act in 1991. He first played himself in the pilot of the short-lived CBS series "P.S. I Luv You", but later had a character role. His 1993 stage debut as a mental patient in "Southern Rapture", directed by Peter Fonda, garnered praise and indicated he was more than a dilettante. That same year, he made his film debut as a truck driver who had a memorable encounter with Nicolas Cage in John Dahl's "Red Rock West". Yoakam further demonstrated his abilities as a rancher in the based-on-fact TV-movie "Roswell" (Showtime, 1994) and in his first lead as a rodeo clown in "Painted Hero" (1995). After a turn as a photographer obsessed with a rich businessman's wife in the direct-to-video "The Little Death" (also 1995), Yoakam gave his most nuanced performance yet in Billy Bob Thornton's "Sling Blade" (1996). As an abusively alcoholic, he struck notes of menace and pathos and earned his best reviews to date.
- Also Credited As:
Dwight David Yoakam
- Born:
October 23, 1956 in Pikesville, Kentucky
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Job Titles:
Actor, Singer, Director, Producer, Screenwriter
Family
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Brother: Ronald Yoakam.
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Father: David Yoakam.
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Mother: Ruth Ann Yoakam.
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Sister: Kimberly Yoakam.
Significant Others
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Companion: Bridget Fonda. dating as of late fall 1998
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Companion: Karen Duffy. no longer together
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Companion: Sharon Stone. Stone referred to Yoakam as a "dirt sandwich" after their breakup
Education
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Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, history and philosophy
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Los Angeles Community College, Los Angeles, California
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University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
Milestones
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1962 Learned to play guitar at age six (date approximate)
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1965 Reportedly wrote his first song at age nine, "How Far Is Heaven", inspired by news coverage of the Vietnam War (date approximate)
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1984 Released first recording, an EP titled "A Town SOuth of Bakersfield"; based on airplay in L.A., was signed by Reprise Records
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1986 Released debut album, "Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc."
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1991 TV acting debut, guest appearance on the short-lived series "P.S. I Luv You"; had played himself in the pilot for the series
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1992 Headlined own special "Dwight Yoakam in Concert" on The Nashville Network
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1993 Made feature acting debut in John Dahl's "Red Rock West"
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1993 Stage acting debut, "Southern Rapture", directed by Peter Fonda
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1994 TV-movie acting debut, "Roswell" (Showtime)
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1995 First leading role in a feature, "Painted Hero"
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1996 Breakthrough screen role, "Sling Blade", directed by Billy Bob Thornton
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1998 Had featured role in "The Newton Boys"
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2000 Feature directorial debut, "South of Heaven, West of Hell"; also co-wrote script
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2002 Played one of a trio menacing a woman and a child while searching for missing money in "Panic Room"
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2002 Served as a producer on the road picture-comedy "Waking Up in Reno", featuring Billy Bob Thornton
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2003 Appeared in a small role in the action-comedy "Hollywood Homicide"
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Born in Kentucky
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Moved to Nashville in the late 1970s; met Pete Anderson
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Raised in Columbus, Ohio
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While in high school, formed first bands
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With Anderson, moved to L.A.