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.
Turn It On Turn It Up Turn Me Loose
Dwight Yoakam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of trying to break free from the sadness
That I can't lay to rest
This old honky tonk sure does feel like home
And the music with the laughter seem to soothe my loneliness
Turn it on, turn it up, turn me loose
From her memories driving me lonely, crazy and blue
Hey mister turn it on, turn it up, turn me loose
Now if a tear should fall if I should whisper her name
To some stranger I'm holdin'
while we're dancin' to an old Buck Owen's song
I know she won't mind she won't even know
She'll be dancing with a memory crying teardrops of her own
Turn it on, turn it up, turn me loose
From her memories driving me lonely, crazy and blue
It helps me to forget her so the louder the better
Hey mister turn it on, turn it up, turn me loose
Turn it on, turn it up, turn me loose
From her memories driving me lonely, crazy and blue
It helps me to forget her so the louder the better
Hey mister turn it on, turn it up, turn me loose
Hey mister turn it on, turn it up, turn me loose
In "Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose" by Dwight Yoakam, the singer is once again at the honky-tonk, trying to cope with the sadness that he can’t seem to escape. He finds comfort in the music and laughter, and the more he can turn up the volume, the better he can forget his heartbreak. The singer begs the DJ to turn up the volume and set him free from the memory of his lost love. He admits that he might shed a tear or whisper her name to a stranger on the dance floor, but he hopes that she is doing the same, just like him.
The song is all about escapism, as the singer tries to distract himself from the pain of a broken heart. By immersing himself in the honky-tonk atmosphere, he can forget about his loneliness for a while. The music is a way of tuning out the world and all the troubles that come with it. The song is relatable to anyone who has tried to escape their problems by distracting themselves with music, parties, or social events. It’s a reminder that we all need an escape sometimes, but it’s only a temporary solution to a persistent problem.
In summary, "Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose" is a classic honky-tonk song filled with emotion and longing. It showcases Dwight Yoakam's signature sound, where he blends traditional country music with rock and roll. It’s a song that encapsulates the ephemeral nature of happiness and the importance of seeking joy wherever we can find it.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'm back again for another night
Returning to the same place to try to forget about a person
Of trying to break free from the sadness
Attempting to escape from the emotional pain caused by this person
That I can't lay to rest
Finding it difficult to overcome and move on from the memories of this person
This old honky tonk sure does feel like home
The familiar surroundings of the bar provide a sense of comfort
And the music with the laughter seem to soothe my loneliness
The combination of music and jovial atmosphere temporarily alleviate feelings of isolation
Turn it on, turn it up, turn me loose
Requesting the DJ to play music loudly to distract from thoughts of the person
From her memories driving me lonely, crazy and blue
Attempting to break free from the negative emotions brought on by thinking of this person
It helps me to forget her so the louder the better
Using loud music as a form of escapism from painful memories
Hey mister turn it on, turn it up, turn me loose
Reiterating the request for the DJ to play music loudly to aid in the process of forgetting
Now if a tear should fall if I should whisper her name
Acknowledging the possibility of feeling emotional and thinking of the person while at the bar
To some stranger I'm holdin' while we're dancin' to an old Buck Owen's song
Sharing a brief moment with a stranger on the dance floor but still thinking about the person
I know she won't mind she won't even know
Realizing that the person is not present to judge or feel hurt by this behavior
She'll be dancing with a memory crying teardrops of her own
Acknowledging that the person may also be struggling with feelings of loneliness and heartbreak
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KOSTAS LAZARIDES, WAYLAND PATTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@richpaul8132
One of my favorite writer/musicians without a doubt. I was driving tractor-trailers over the road across all 48 states (OTR/48) and I would be kept out sometimes for 3 months. I would only get home for 3 or 4 days and looking back, I can't understand how I let anybody yank my chain like that.
Each time I got home, I had less friends than I had before I left for the next go round. People I knew, but maybe didn't hang around with, like next-door neighbors, bartenders, etc., were gone or died, or just disappeared to somewhere. I found myself living in a subculture of OTR truckers, 'lot-lizards', and 'go-fast dealers'.
It was all one of the pretty much, most bizarre, times in my life and I was in my mid 30's back then. That's when this song came out and frankly, I think the video, (which I believe Dwight directed and maybe even wrote), is one of the best "video-to-song" matches I've seen, (and heard).
Anyway, I stayed with that company for a bit over a year and one night I walked into a truck stop on the outskirt of Nashville, TN. I remembered that this truck stop was a true "trucker subculture haven". It had everything going on outside and inside, I particularly recall the huge screen and super-huge sound system that it had.
It was in one area where truckers lounged for a break but it wasn't in the dining room. I know alcohol wasn't served there and it wasn't anything of a 'party atmosphere' kind of place, (which made it even stranger in a way), but it had this huge screen and sound system with music videos running 24/7.
I'd been there several times before but that night, about 2 or 3AM, I walked into the lounge and was lighting a cigarette when this music video opened. I was absolutely captured by the strangeness of it. I've always kept myself aware of my immediate surroundings. All my life I had a strong sense of environmental and situational awareness and people used to tell me that they couldn't ever 'sneak up' on me because I paid too close of attention to everything.
However, that moment when the video kicked into the music, I was totally lost in it. You could have come up and lit me on fire and I wouldn't have noticed! I mean, I never even got to a chair. I just stood there and watched that entire video and I was hit with a powerful sense of sorrow and anger at the same time.
If you've ever had that emotional combination hit you like that, especially when you weren't even close to ready for it, that's one hell of feeling. I actually had tears in my eyes after the video ended. A waitress came over, (she remembered me from a previous visit), and said "hey Rich, you alright, hun?" I snapped out of it and looked at here and said something like "yes, I'm fine, just as soon as I take care of something".
I turned and went to the trucker’s dining room where the courtesy phones were. The dispatch office for the Great Western trucking company, (located in Lubbock Texas), ran 24/7. I called the dispatch office and told them that the load I was delivering later that morning was the last load.
The dispatcher said "...well I don't know if I've got a load you can pick up that's coming back to the yard after that one. You need to give us a week's notice, then I'll have time to arrange something". I told him that the truck is heading back for Lubbock with or without a load.
About 40 hours later, I was driving my pickup truck back to Houston from the GW truck yard in Lubbock. I got another trucking job within a few days and I continued driving trucks for 5 more years. I drove for about 2 or 3 other OTR/48 companies after that. I would quit one and go to another OTR company for better pay. I was never gone from home more than 2 weeks after leaving Great Western.
Even when I was out for 2 weeks, it was only if I volunteered to stay out that long. I was married through all of that and of course, the damage was done. Quitting GW didn't change the mess I created for myself and even though I was the one who filed for divorce from my first wife, I think deep down, I did it because I didn't want to destroy her life they way I was destroying mine.
It was 20+ years before I finally dragged what was left of me from the hole I threw myself down. My third wife died from terminal cancer almost year ago. The ghosts that haunt me every night I go to sleep alone are all the regrets I've collected and never could forget. However, if I would have stayed with that GW trucking company, I probably wouldn't even have lived long enough to get anywhere near my second marriage, let alone my third.
It was that song and that video that made me snap out of it and realize that I wouldn't survive much longer if I let those people keep me out for 3 months at a time. I don't know if trucking companies still dispatch their drivers to stay out that long anymore. I do know that some drivers were able to do that and not let themselves be sucked into the subculture that I went into to, but most drivers wound up the same way I did.
Thank you Dwight Yoakum. Regardless of what some critics had to say about that video, I know you knew it was a good one. The only ones that didn't like it were the ones who were scared by it because they can't imagine anything like this actually exists outside of their little, 'homogenized world'.
FWIW,
Rich
@richpaul8132
@@BassMaster.454 Thanks. You can bet that I remember almost everything about those days. The trucking company I worked for back then was the first OTR/48 company I ever drove for immediately after my 2-week training course. That company went out of business long ago. I started driving around late 1989 and in fact, I didn't work for Great Western "a bit over a year..." as I said in my first comment. I made a mistake and meant to say "a bit UNDER a year".
Not counting the day I returned their truck and trailer to the yard for the last time, I had only been to the GW Truck yard three times in about 8.5 months. Once when they first hired me, and then twice more in a period of about 7 months. Each time I got back to the yard, I'd get to drive home, (which was 3.5 hours away), in my own vehicle.
I'd stay home for 3 to 4 days and then drive 3.5 hours to start all over again. Great Western counted 'days' in increments of 24 hours. They'd count the "first DAY home" from the moment our trucks got to the yard, which often would be 10 or 11 PM, or even later, but required that you arrive at the yard from your time off before 3PM. That would cut into my "days off" significantly.
I'm sure I wasn't out more than 4 to maybe, 4.5 weeks (of the 3rd 'tour') when I saw that the Dwight Yoakam video in that truck stop and pulled the plug on Great Western. I had enough experience by then to pick a trucking company that didn't take advantage of new drivers. I went through a few companies in the 6 years that I drove but only because I would find one that paid better or didn't 'castrate' the hell out of their 350 or 425 HP caterpillar engines.
Back then, a lot of companies would govern back their truck engines to 57 MPH max. I finally found a trucking company that set their engines to run at 67/68 mph and they treated the drivers very well. You could get home as often as you wanted and stay for about 4 or 5 days, (if you needed to). They paid well and their mechanics were seriously skilled and some of the best I'd ever seen.
I miss those guys and I don't know if the company is even still in business these days. It was called "Metropolitan Trucking", (aka "Big M"), and I worked for them about 3 years. Their main yard was in Rutherford N.J., (I lived in Houston). It was a good company to work for, but then, that was years ago.
Rich
BTW; "Family Guy" is just about the funniest show I've ever seen and I still watch it now!
@Johnnyhumbkr
I am a die hard rock&roll fan, but today I was stopped at a stop light,and someone with their window rolled down was blasting some Dwight Yoakam. It took me back about 20 years ago to when I lived briefly in Wyoming, where all they have on the radio is country. After a while I thought”Some of this hillbilly music is pretty good!” Thank you guy at the stoplight,wherever on God’s green earth you may be!
@user-cy4vw1qj9m
I wouldn't call this hilly billy music.
@Johnnyhumbkr
@@user-cy4vw1qj9m Me neither. It’s a reference to that song “Guitars,Cadillacs”.
@ceecee634
I was in WY about 20 years ago too. Small world.
@Johnnyhumbkr
@@ceecee634 Yeah, Wyoming is pretty awesome! Lots of open space,but the winters get kind of windy and cold!
@WaylonBarnes-uj5um
That Song
@yvonneseewald6459
Dwight Yoakam one of the greatest country singer ever.Love all his music.
@darrellbarfz8666
Facts.
@1SILVERDINGO
How good is he, John Australia
@cindydixon1569
Simple song's