Born Dwight David Yoakam in Pikeville, KY on October 23, 1956, Dwight was exposed to traditional country music from an early age and when he was very young, his family moved to Ohio. By age 10, he had penned his first song, and by age 18, he was playing in clubs in the Ohio Valley.

In 1977, being inspired by Buck Owens, Dwight packed up and moved to Los Angeles. A year later he formed the Babylonian Cowboys. Pete Anderson, whose arrangements, guitar playing and production have played an important role in Yokam's success joined in 1981.

Even though he had a string of Top Ten hits, like "Little Sister," "Little Ways," "Please, Please Baby," and "Always Late With Your Kisses" it didn't change his outsider status in Nashville. Dwight preferred the Western look, with embroidered jackets and skin-tight jeans. He liked it so much that he invested in a C&W clothing venture with Manual, the western-wear designer who got his start with cowboy couturier Nudie.

In the early Nineties, Dwight ventured into acting, making a cameo in the cult film Red Rock West, with Nicolas Cage. In 1992 he scored the soundtrack for White Sands, and later that same year, recorded his version of "Suspicious Minds" for the soundtrack of Honeymoon in Vegas, again starring Nicolas Cage.