Trivia

Johnny Cash called Yoakam his favorite modern country artist.

Sang a cover of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen. This was meant to be used only as a jingle in a television commercial for the Gap's blue jeans, but there was such a huge demand for the song, he ended up releasing this as a single.

Born by emergency C-section. The doctor had to use forceps. As a result, Dwight has a scar on his forehead.

Los Lobos was the first band to take Dwight on tour as an opening act.

Received an honorary degree from Ohio Valley University in Vienna, West Virginia on May 7, 2005. In addition to giving a speech, he congratulated each graduate personally, and the mayor gave him the key to the city.

Dwight created and owns Dwight Yoakam's Bakersfield Biscuit Brand food line, which is sold in Walmart, Walgreens, Giant, Food City, Meijers, and other supermarket chains nationwide.

Bought his famous cowboy hat in 1979 for less than $50.

Dwight was injured while filming Panic Room (2002). He burst a bursa sac on his elbow, hyper-extended both his thumbs, and had a few cracked ribs.

Won a Grammy Award for "Ain't That Lonely Yet" (1993).

Broke the Tonight Show record of musical guest appearances on May 15, 2008.

Self-taught guitarist.

Buck Owens gave Dwight a 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville to congratulate him on his first number one song.

Gibson Guitars issued a Dwight signature acoustic guitar called the Y2K. A very limited number were manufactured.

Played the drums in his high school's marching band.

Received the Premiere Performance Award at the 57th Annual Motion Picture Club Awards for his role as Doyle Hargraves in Sling Blade (1996).

U.S. Route 23 was the subject of Dwight's song "Readin', Rightin', Route 23". The stretch of U.S. Route 23 that runs through Floyd County, Kentucky where Dwight lived as a child and often visited after moving to Ohio is named in his honor. It is known as the Dwight Yoakam Highway. The entire stretch of U.S. Route 23 that runs through Kentucky is known as the Country Music Highway, with each stretch through the connecting counties named in honor of a local country music star.

Contrary to popular belief, was not named after President Eisenhower.

Made his big screen acting debut in Red Rock West (1993) with Nicolas Cage.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on June 5, 2003.

Has been living in Los Angeles, California since 1977.

Honored with the Governors' Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame on February 21, 2008.

Has performed in Italy for the first time in 1994.

Dwight and Emily gave birth to their first child on August 16, 2020. They had a boy named Dalton Loren Yoakam.

Won the Top New Male Vocalist of the Year award at the 1987 ACM Awards.

Was born with colic and has motion sickness.

Best subject in school was history, and worst subject was math.

Born in the same city as Patty Loveless.

While on location in Texas shooting the film The Newton Boys (1998), he wrote the songs he used for the album "A Long Way Home" (1998).

Was announced as the CMA International Artist Achievement Award winner for 2007 at the 41st CMA Awards.

In 1995, he toured Australia for the very first time in support of his CD "Gone".

Made his television acting debut on the short-lived crime drama P.S.I. Luv U (1991).

Studied history and philosophy at Ohio State University.

Used to have a Weimaraner named Jack, and a blue tick hound named Annie.

Became engaged to photographer Emily Joyce in 2011. They married in March 2020.

Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame on October 14, 2019.

His father, David Yoakam, passed away October 19, 2012.

Received the President's Award from BMI on November, 12, 2019.

Injured while filming Hollywood Homicide (2003). He cut his index finger on a police barricade. He went to Cedars Sinai Hospital and needed four stitches in his finger.

Has a younger brother (Ronald) and younger sister (Kimberly).

Won his second Grammy Award in "Best Country Collaboration" for "Same Old Train" (1999).

Honored with the Pioneer Award at the 2012 ACM Awards.

Attended and graduated from Northland High School in Columbus, Ohio (1974), the alma mater of Happy Chichester (Royal Crescent Mob) and Samuel Bayer who directed the music video of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit. .

Has two dogs, Luke and Uma.