Dwight Yoakam: A Thousand Miles from Nowhere

American Music Series

by Don McLeese

From his formative years playing pure, hardcore honky-tonk for mid-'80s Los Angeles punk rockers through his subsequent surge to the top of the country charts, Dwight Yoakam has enjoyed a singular career. An electrifying live performer, superb writer, and virtuosic vocalist, he has successfully bridged two musical worlds that usually have little use for each other--commercial country and its alternative/Americana/roots-rocking counterpart. Defying the label "too country for rock, too rock for country," Yoakam has triumphed while many of his peers have had to settle for cult acceptance. Four decades into his career, he has sold more than 25 million records and continues to tour regularly, with an extremely loyal fan base.

In Dwight Yoakam, award-winning music journalist Don McLeese offers the first musical biography of this acclaimed artist. Tracing the seemingly disparate influences in Yoakam's music, McLeese shows how he has combined rock and roll, rockabilly, country, blues, and gospel into a seamless whole. In particular, McLeese explores the essential issue of "authenticity" and how it applies to Yoakam, as well as to country music and popular culture in general. Drawing on wide-ranging interviews with Yoakam and his management, while also benefitting from the perspectives of others closely associated with his musical success (including producer-guitarist Pete Anderson, Yoakam's partner throughout his most popular and creative decades), Dwight Yoakam pays tribute to the musician who has established himself as a visionary beyond time, an artist who could title an album Tomorrow's Sounds Today and deliver it.

Genres: Music, Biography

232 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Dy-an · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were many great quotes right off the beginning such as, "This meant male critics felt compelled to make some reference, usually disparaging his skintight jeans and twitching butt, which he turned to the audience too often for the comfort of some" (The 'some' would not be this girl!) or, "Dwight's mind is more analytical, even philosophical, as he frequently seems to be heading down five different speculative highways at ninety miles per hour...".

That being said, this book fizzles like a cheap sparkler. It's all dazzle at the beginning and the burnt charcoal remains of academic repetition at the end.

It didn't help that I desperately wanted the dirt, the who's done who, and instead, I was presented with a critical overview of Yoakam's music. To satisfy my desires, I am now off to do a little Google stalking. It's probably what I should have done in the beginning.

[Jack Wolfe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like reading about Dwight Yoakam, a cool cat daddy who made some great country records during the genre's dark ages (this book dubs it the "Garth Era"; you could also call it "my misspent Texas childhood"). But compared to "The Running Kind," David Cantwell's excellent Merle Haggard book which is also part of the University of Texas's "American Music" imprint (and shares this book's beautiful design), "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" is a little lacking. It purports to be a critical study of Yoakam rather than a biography, but McLeese rarely engages in the kind of deep analysis that defines "The Running Kind" and makes that book worthwhile even for folks who know nothing about country music. McLeese is mostly content to let Dwight, his producer/guitarist Pete Anderson, and a few friends (namely Dave Alvin of the Blasters) do all the talking, which means there's a lot of neat stuff here for Dwight's fans (I didn't know the dude was a vegetarian (!), and he's also freakishly eloquent on the subject of popular music) but not much in the way of, oh, "why does all this even matter." We hear much about the quality of the music in general terms, but very little about specific songs, melodies, etc. McLeese is pretty damn good when he's talking about the role of "authenticity" in country music, a touchy subject for Dwight (who was raised in in the not-so-country town of Columbus (whoo!), a GREAT city the book maligns the shit out of (boo!)). I'm less interested when McLeese spends a quarter of the book repeating the line about how Dwight successfully straddled the worlds of rock and country (a point which, for one, might not even be true (the man was really only a popular success for a few years) and, secondly, makes it seem like it is selling records, and not making great music, that's the important thing for both us and Dwight.,, which might be true, for Dwight, anyway). So, yeah, a somewhat shallow book, and a redundant one. Still, it's always good to read about your childhood heroes. And the UT books really do look nice! Look at that cover! It's a sign with legs, wow!

[Basanja · Rating 3 out of 5]

For such an interesting subject (Dwight Yoakam) the author writes this book like a due at the last second research paper. The books is primarily more about the music business than what makes Dwight...well Dwight.

Any long time fans (yes, I remember the Babylonian Cowboys) there's not any new real insight or information. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to pieces to see a book being published about Dwight.

[Herzog · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is in the wrong format. It's a book that is specifically about Dwight's music, not his life, relationships or thought processes. Consequently, as you read the book, you read about the music that he's recorded which is fine and, potentially, interesting. I'm not very familiar with his music, so the words meant little to me. Clearly, Dwight's career has ebbed. So, why not do the smart thing? Make this an e-book with links to all the music so that instead of reading words, you can listen to the damn music! This is getting to be a big problem with music books in the digital age and this is a classic example of how not to execute a good idea.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as a fan and found it informative and enjoyable. It felt a little bit like a long magazine article, but when the magazine that comes to mind is No Depression, well, I don't see much to complain about. I came away with a better understanding of Yoakam as a artist and a musician - and with a need to put his recordings back into heavy rotation.

[Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read. Wish it had more about his personal life, but this was strickly his music. I knew a lot of this already, but a good start. Wish someone would take this book and insert chapters regarding touring or more interview material on Dwight.

[Gmh357 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Need to be a Dwight fan to enjoy this book.
Major complaint...uneven pace.

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dwight Yoakam is definitely my 2nd favorite Ameripolitan musician of all time, skinny jeans and all (Dale Watson is #1).

Back in 2001 or so, I got to see Dwight play on an outside tour. His sound and style were so much different than the headliner (Brooks and Dunn—yuck—too much red, white and blue) and after seeing the magnificence that was DY, we had to leave before B&D ruined the memory. I bought a great brown and orange DY baseball cap that day that was one of my favorites before I left it on a stack of jeans in an Old Navy in Brooklyn. (I have a habit—a good habit—of taking my hat off indoors. Normally it serves me well. That day, it cost me one of my favorite caps.)

This book was a walk through Dwight musical memorabilia. Plenty of times I stopped just to listen to the music the author was talking about, and to remember how every song is uniquely Dwight’s. Even the covers.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a biography, but a sort of hybrid critical overview / fan retrospective of Yoakam's recording career. I've grown addicted to Dwight's channel on SiriusXM and dropped everything when I discovered this book, but for whatever reason it seems 2023 hasn't been a banner year of book-reading for me.

The gold here is the pre-Guitars, Cadillacs development of Dwight's style: the L.A. years after his upbringing in Ohio and how it all somehow created the 'sound of Kentucky' narrative that shaped his early commercial identity.

The extra-gold here is that both Dwight and famed producer/guitarist Pete Anderson participated in it.

The attempt at up-to-the-minute reportage and recurring reference that perhaps Dwight may not record music again (the author's opinion) is, of course, lost in a 2023 read.

[Jacob Andersson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agreeing with other reviews stating this is more of a critical analysis of Dwight's works than a biography, it's best to go into this expecting a (fairly biased) overview of Dwight's musical career, going through the release of his albums chapter by chapter. It was written by a fan, for fans, and the "fandom" will shine through as the author gives his personal takes on each of the records while using interviews with Dwight himself, as well as Pete Anderson, industry heads, and a few other musicians weaving it all together for context.
As others have said, the book leaves most of his personal life out - if you're expecting anything about Dwight as a person and his life, most of that is in the beginning of the book, and even then the focus is on his rise as a musician.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thorough recap of each album in Dwight Yoakum’s career through 2012, this is less of a biography than a critic’s compilation of reviews with terrific context on the music making behind the man and the band. There is no personal information or meaningful context on his life beyond that which directly influences his music. It works, but it reads as a bit of an academic treatise vs. an insightful story of the man and his music.

[Katrina Zartman · Rating 3 out of 5]

My father worked with Dwight Yoakam's mother when I was a child. We understood that he was famous even though we didn't listen to his music. When this book crossed my path at the library I decided to learn a little bit about the young man's life. I only read a few chapters, but what I did read was interesting.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received this book as a Christmas gift. I did not know the book even existed, but so glad it was given to me. I’m a huge Dwight Yoakam fan and enjoyed reading every word. It’s such a great, informative read. I learned a few new things and some things were brought back to my memory from long ago. If you’re a fan of Dwight Yoakam‘s music, then this is a great book to read.

[MIKE · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting. Mostly about his music, not so much about his personal life. The authors style of writing distracted me from the story line. Love Dwight's music and Pete Anderson is a master of the guitar.

[Max Gainey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The elusive Dwight Yoakam

I’ve listened to (and loved) the music. I’ve read the book. And yet I still don’t feel like I’ve grasped the essence of the artist. Maybe someone who is not such a fan might have lent more perspective.

[Michael Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding biography of a multi-talented singer, songwriter, actor, with insights into the Los Angeles early "cow punk" movement and his hard work and major success. Easy, fun read.

[Blake Loomis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very interested in the topic and the book was very informative, but the author tended to repeat himself quite frequently.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a Dwight fan for years but had never learned so much about his musical inspirations.

[Mark Goddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. I like books that skip the dirt and concentrate on the music. That said, I wish it was
longer. Dwight's musical legacy is quite impressive and genuinely ignored which is a crime. Hopefully this is the beginning of a critical appraisal of his art.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I don't read a lot of celebrity or fan biography - but I wouldn't call this book a "fan biography" at all. I only came upon it by chance, and picked it up. I liked Dwight Yoakam's music back in the 80's and 90's but never really focused on him. I eventually had a couple of his CDs. I did always wonder how he managed to make "Honky Tonk Man" with such a driving gotta dance pounding beat and yet keep the original honky tonk feel for the song. I also have never be able to resist turning up "Guitars, Cadillacs and Hill Billy Music" very loud every time I hear it.

The great thing about Don McLeese's book is that it brings the men (not just Dwight) who made this music and how it came about to life. The genius of that sound starts with Dwight but it took a guitar player / producer with the ear and vision know how to arrange and play the songs to really bring Dwight's basic genius out of the background. Together they brought the unsophisticated, authentic (sounding) honky tonk bare bones arrangement with a strong drum and rhythm line and scorching lead guitar to the country music AND the punk rock audiences. Rocketing out of the early genesis of "alt country" they became Country Top 40 stars.

McLeese does devote a lot of thought to whether Dwight Yoakam is "authentic" ultimately concluding that unless you are a purest (no true Scotsman critic) Dwight and his music are as authentic as anyone in the music business. Personally that aspect of the book was the least interesting for me. Just from listening to "Honky Tonk Man" and I have always felt that Dwight Yoakam could only do that song so well if he felt the music in his soul - just my belief.

Anyway, the book is about the music and not about personal lives other than the basic family, early life milestone stuff. In that respect it is a pretty easy read. Nothing overly technical, making for an easy read. It makes it very worthwhile to go back and listen to Dwight's albums in a new light and hear his songs with a bit fuller perspective.

If you like country or alt country or just good stories about musicians you will probably enjoy this book.

[Amanda-I dream of a gallant southern gentleman watching the sunset · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing and highly focused biography of Dwight Yoakam's musical life and career. It had, as it promised, absolutely nothing on Sharon Stone's comparison of a dirt sandwich, and I appreciated that immensely. The book focused on his music, and while it does have several chapter on his life before his career, it's all essential to understanding his background, which led to his influences in music. It goes all the way from his childhood in kentucky and ohio (which would later influence a great deal of his music) to the promise of another album, which has long since been released: three pears. The entire book provides incredible insight into his music and what brought him to it. It breaks down the albums, and his entire career into three sections, providing an interesting view of the process. Also, a decent portion of the book was spent on Pete Anderson, as, though the book is about Dwight, you can't really have Dwight without Pete. The book also helped introduce me to a whole new class of Dwight Yoakam music, and my repertoir has since expanded greatly. I'm so glad I read this book. My one complaint would be the 5 or 6 f-words with variations. I suppose I really should have expected it, but the thought never really crossed my mind. So besides that, the book is an amazing work, the one and only of its kind. I would highly recommend it to anyone who asked.

[John Branney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never been a fan of Dwight Yoakam, but after listening to Population:me, I decided to give this book a read. I was not disappointed.

I thought the author did an excellent job of portraying Yoakam's uniqueness in the country music industry, as well as his uniqueness and intelligence as a person. Yoakam marched to the beat of his own drum and sometimes that worked out well within the realm of the country music industry and sometimes it didn't.

As with many stars, they burn bright for awhile and then fade away and this is pretty much what happened to Yoakam's music career. But, while his star was burning bright he made a huge impact on country music. Now, his acting career, hasn't burned very bright, but you have to give him credit for jumping into it with both feet.

I like how the author portrayed Yoakham as a hardworking and driven teetotaler with an excellent work ethic. He is an example of hard work paying off.

Good book, well written, on an interesting subject.

[Mary Lou · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reads like a lengthy magazine bio. Interesting, if you are a fan of him or that rockabilly genre. I was hoping for a little personal info on him but the biographer obviously left out all info about his personal life. I do love Dwight.

[Autumn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thin and repetitive analysis of Dwight Yoakam's music that seems to be based on one interview with Dwight, a couple interviews with Pete Anderson and a long talk with Dave Alvin. A valiant effort, but not quite enough meat on the bones.

[Brenda Jo]

Who knew? So many preconceived thoughts corrected!

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love Yoakam....