For more than 30 years, Dwight Yoakam has been at the forefront of honky-tonk–or as he calls it “hillbilly”–country music. He moved to Los Angeles early in his career after finding the Nashville industry too focused on “urban cowboy” country, and started performing in rock clubs alongside such unlikely acts as The Blasters, X, Los Lobos and even Hüsker Dü. Yoakam’s authentic and groundbreaking style is regularly credited with rock audiences accepting country music. Johnny Cash once cited Yoakam as his favorite country singer. Time dubbed him “A Renaissance Man” and Vanity Fair declared that “Yoakam strides the divide between rock’s lust and country’s lament.” Even after selling more than 25 million albums, winning Grammy awards, starring in blockbuster films and writing and producing soundtracks, Yoakam’s distinctive Kentucky crooning vocals remain as powerful today as they were at the onset of his career. Don’t miss the SMF debut of this pioneering country music star.