Yoakam was born in Pikeville, Kentucky, the son of Ruth Ann, a key-punch operator, and David Yoakam, a gas-station owner. He was raised in Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from Columbus's Northland High School in 1974. During his high school years, he excelled in both music and drama, regularly securing the lead role in school plays, such as "Charlie" in a stage version of Flowers for Algernon, honing his skills under the guidance of teacher-mentors Jerry McAfee (music) and Charles Lewis (drama). Outside of school, Yoakam sang and played guitar with local garage bands, and entertained his friends and classmates with his impersonations, such as Richard Nixon, who, at the time, was heavily embroiled in the Watergate controversy.
Yoakam briefly attended Ohio State University, but dropped out and moved to Nashville in 1977 with the intent of becoming a recording artist. Later on, Ohio Valley University in Parkersburg, West Virginia awarded and presented Dwight with an honorary doctorate degree on May 7, 2005.
When he began his career, Nashville was oriented toward pop "urban cowboy" music, and Yoakam's brand of hip honky tonk music was not considered marketable.
Not making much headway in Nashville, Yoakam moved to Los Angeles and worked towards bringing his particular brand of new Honky Tonk or "Hillbilly" music (as he called it) forward into the 1980s. Writing all his own songs, and continuing to perform mostly outside traditional country music channels, Yoakam did many shows in rock and punk rock clubs around Los Angeles, playing with roots rock or punk rock acts like The Blasters (Yoakam scored a small video hit with his version of their song "Long White Cadillac"), Los Lobos, and X. This helped him diversify his audience beyond the typical country music fans, and his authentic, groundbreaking music is often credited with rock audiences accepting country music.
Yoakam's recording debut was the self-financed EP Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. on independent label Oak Records produced by lead-guitarist Pete Anderson; this was later re-released by Reprise records, with several additional tracks, as his major-label debut LP, 1986's Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.. It launched his career. "Honky Tonk Man", a remake of the Johnny Horton song, and "Guitars, Cadillacs" were hit singles. His stylish video "Honky Tonk Man" was the first country music video ever played on MTV. The follow-up LP, Hillbilly Deluxe, was just as successful. His third LP, Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room, included his first No. 1, a duet with his musical idol, Buck Owens, on "Streets of Bakersfield". 1990's If There Was a Way was another best-seller.
Yoakam's song "Readin', Rightin', Route 23" pays tribute to his childhood move from Kentucky, and is named after a local expression describing the route that rural Kentuckians took to find a job outside of the coal mines. (U.S. Route 23 runs north from Kentucky through Columbus and Toledo, Ohio and through the automotive centers of Michigan.) Rather than the standard line that their elementary schools taught "the three Rs" of "Readin', 'Ritin', and 'Rithmetic", Kentuckians used to say that the three Rs they learned were "Readin', 'Ritin, and Route 23 North".
Johnny Cash once cited Yoakam as his favorite country singer. Chris Isaak called him as good a songwriter that ever put a pen to paper. Time Magazine dubbed Yoakam "A Renaissance Man" and Vanity Fair declared that "Yoakam strides the divide between rock's lust and country's lament." Along with his bluegrass and honky-tonk roots, Yoakam has written or covered many Elvis Presley-style rockabilly songs, including his covers of Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" in 1999 and Presley's "Suspicious Minds" in 1992. He recorded a cover of The Clash's "Train in Vain" in 1997, a cover of the Grateful Dead song "Truckin'", as well as Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me". Yoakam has never been associated only with Country music; on many early tours, he played with Hardcore Punk bands like Hüsker Dü, and played many shows around Los Angeles with Roots/Punk/Rock & Roll acts. His middle-period-to-later records saw him branching out to different styles, covering Rock & Roll, Punk, 1960's, Blues-based "Boogie" like ZZ Top, and writing more adventurous songs like "A Thousand Miles From Nowhere". In 2003, he provided background vocals on Warren Zevon's last album The Wind.
In the 21st century, Yoakam released dwightyoakamacoustic.net, an album featuring solo acoustic versions of many of his hits; left his major label and started his own label.
2005 saw the release of Yoakam's well-reviewed album Blame the Vain, on New West Records. Yoakam also released an album dedicated to Buck Owens, Dwight Sings Buck, on October 23, 2007. His duet with Michelle Branch, a song titled "Long Goodbye", was released as a free download on Branch's official website in early 2011.
In July 2011, Yoakam re-signed with Warner Bros. Nashville and announced plans to release a new album. 3 Pears was released on September 18, 2012 with twelve new tracks. The album, produced by Yoakam, includes collaborations with Kid Rock, Beck, and Ashley Monroe. 3 Pears was released to resounding critical acclaim and earned Yoakam the highest-charting debut of his career on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Country Albums charts. 3 Pears reached #1 on the Americana Radio chart on October 29, 2012 and went on to break the 2012 record for most weeks at #1 on Americana Radio.[4] By the end of 2012, the album was named on annual best of lists by NPR, Rolling Stone, American Songwriter, AOL's The Boot, Entertainment Weekly, The Village Voice, and Rhapsody, and has been included in more critic's "best of 2012" lists than any other artist in the country genre.
Yoakam won the Grammy Award for "Best Male Country Vocal Performance" in 1993 for the song "Ain't That Lonely Yet". He was also named "Artist of the Year" by CMT Europe in 1993 and given the International Touring Artist Award by CMA in 2007.
In 2011, Yoakam received the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award for his trailblazing achievements in the country music genre.
The Big Time
Dwight Yoakam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Honey that's okay with me
I ain't never seen the big time
Honey that's okay with me
Just a sittin' on this front porch
All the big time I'll ever need
Might need a loan but that ain't nothin' new
Buy you a ticket to the big time
Might need a loan but that ain't nothin' new
They say I can't afford the big time?
Baby I'll just write an IOU
There ain't no one in the big time
That hangs out the laundry like you do
There ain't no one in the big time
That hangs out the laundry like you do
I'm a-having myself a big time
Just watching you rub and scrub the whole day through
I ain't never seen the big time
Honey that's okay with me
I ain't never seen the big time
Honey that's okay with me
Just a-sittin' on this front porch
All the big time I'll ever need
Just a-sittin' on this front porch
All the big time I'll ever need
In Dwight Yoakam's song "The Big Time," Yoakam proudly proclaims that he has never seen the big time, but he is content with his life. He expresses that he does not need the glitz and glamour of the big time because all he needs is to sit on his front porch and appreciate the simple pleasures of life. He tells his lover that he will buy her a ticket to the big time, even though he might need a loan, and jokes that he will write an IOU if he cannot afford it. However, he reminds her that there is no one in the big time who can hang out the laundry like she does, as he enjoys watching her work at home while he relaxes. Ultimately, Yoakam is content with his life and is unaffected by the lure of the big time.
Dwight Yoakam’s "The Big Time" is a reflection of his personal values and beliefs. He is proud of his simple life and does not aspire to the lavish lifestyle associated with the big time. The song is a celebration of the joys of living a simple life, as embodied by sitting on a front porch and being with the person you love. Moreover, the lyrics are an ode to the importance of relationships and the value of hard work. Yoakam recognizes the hard work put in by his lover, who hangs out the laundry, and he seems to value her contributions to their life together more than the external markers of success associated with the big time.
Line by Line Meaning
I ain't never seen the big time
I have never been part of the elite or the upper class.
Honey that's okay with me
But that doesn't matter to me.
I ain't never seen the big time
I have never experienced wealth or fame.
Honey that's okay with me
But I'm content with my simple life.
Just a sittin' on this front porch
I'm enjoying my leisure time.
All the big time I'll ever need
This is all the entertainment or excitement that I require.
I'll buy you a ticket to the big time
I can take you to fancy places and events.
Might need a loan but that ain't nothin' new
Even if I have to borrow money, it's not a big deal.
Buy you a ticket to the big time
I want to give you an opportunity to experience wealth and luxury.
They say I can't afford the big time?
Others may doubt that I can afford the lifestyle of the rich and famous.
Baby I'll just write an IOU
I will find a way to pay for it later.
There ain't no one in the big time
None of the wealthy or famous people compare to you.
That hangs out the laundry like you do
You have your own unique qualities that make you special.
I'm a-having myself a big time
Watching you doing your chores makes me happy and content.
Just watching you rub and scrub the whole day through
I enjoy observing you do your daily tasks.
I ain't never seen the big time
Again, it's emphasized that the singer has never seen the life of luxury.
Honey that's okay with me
It doesn't matter because he is satisfied with what he has.
Just a-sittin' on this front porch
The singer is content with relaxing and enjoying his leisure time.
All the big time I'll ever need
This simple way of life is sufficient for his enjoyment and happiness.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dwight Yoakam
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jarkkis66
You are awesome, Dwight! This really rocks and rolls.
Chris White Jr
This is the most rockabilly song I’ve ever heard by Dwight. It’s fantastic. Sounds like it could’ve been recorded by Elvis, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent or Buddy Holly. 👌👌
jose cooli
Elvis would of done this song justice.
Random Recordings
Dwight's sinkin' those rock-a-billy roots even deeper on this one. Great stuff! Pour me another one will ya sweetie.
Dwight Yoakam🎵
Hi
thanks for watching and commenting on my YouTube channel God bless you🤗 hope you don’t stop with your love and support❤️✏✒✏kindly drop your email address or WhatsApp contact below for more details about my upcoming album , Tour or Concert 🎹🎙🎼🎵🎶🎤🎻🥁🎚.......
randy curiel
Dwight you are awesome, you have lots of fans round here in México, i play country music here and you are one of my teachers in writing!!!
Kristi Foulk
I LOVE Dwight Yoakam! I've been a fan since the 90's! I pre-ordered mine and the free songs are fantastic!!
Dwight Yoakam🎵
Hi
thanks for watching and commenting on my YouTube channel God bless you🤗 hope you don’t stop with your love and support❤️✏✒✏kindly drop your email address or WhatsApp contact below for more details about my upcoming album , Tour or Concert 🎹🎙🎼🎵🎶🎤🎻🥁🎚.......
Kathy Green
I absolutely love everything this man sings! He is the best!
SleepingSun4
Awesome tune..LOVE it ♥ LOVE Dwight ♥!! Thank you :)