Early Life

Yoakam was born in Pikeville, Kentucky, the son of Ruth Ann (née Tibbs), a key-punch operator, and David Yoakam, a gas-station owner. He was raised in an impoverished Appalachian community and his family was sharecroppers of Irish descent. He graduated from Northmont High School in Clayton, Ohio, in 1974.

Yoakam briefly attended Ohio State University, but dropped out and moved to Los Angeles in 1977 with the intent of becoming a musician. There he met guitarist Pete Anderson, with whom he would later record his first album, which was released on the independent label Oak Records in 1986.

Music Career

Yoakam’s first album, Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc., was released in 1986 to critical acclaim and is often considered as the record that defined Yoakam’s musical style. The album included his debut single, “Honky Tonk Man”, which he wrote himself.

Yoakam’s follow-up album, Hillbilly Deluxe, was released in 1987 and once again met with critical and commercial success. The lead single from the album, “I Sang Dixie”, was another huge hit for Yoakam.

Yoakam’s third album, Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room, was released in 1988. The album’s title track, which Yoakam co-wrote with Anderson, became one of his most successful singles.

Yoakam’s fourth album, If There Was a Way, was released in 1990 and once again met with critical and commercial success. The album included the singles “Ain’t That Lonely Yet” and “Pocket of a Clown”, both of which were major hits for Yoakam.

Yoakam’s fifth album, This Time, was released in 1993 and marked a departure from his earlier sound. The lead single from the album, “Ain’t That Lonely Yet”, was a duet with Ashley Judd and became one of Yoakam’s biggest hits.

Yoakam’s sixth album, Gone, was released in 1995 and was his most successful album to date. The album included the singles “Gone”, “Fast as You”, and “One More Chance”.

Over the next few years, Yoakam would release a string of successful albums and singles, cementing his reputation as one of the leading country artists of his generation. He also became known for his distinctive clothing style, often wearing vintage Western shirts and tight jeans.

Film Career

In addition to his music career, Yoakam has also appeared in a number of films and television shows. He made his film debut in the 1991 film Red Rock West and has since gone on to appear in such films as The Newton Boys (1998), South of Heaven, West of Hell (2000), Crank (2006), and Four Christmases (2008). Yoakam has also guest-starred on a number of television shows, including King of the Hill.

Awards

• Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Male Vocalist – 1986
• CMT Europe Artist of the Year Award – 1993[citation needed]
• Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male – 1994 “Ain’t That Lonely Yet”
• Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals – 1999 Same Old Train shared with multiple artists
• Country Music Association Award for International Touring Artist (2007)
• Academy of Country Music Cliffe Stone Pioneer Award – 2011
• Americana Music Award for Artist of the Year – 2013[18]
• Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame – 2019

Discography