Fader.com has a great interview with Dwight Yoakam covering his influences, music and performing in L.A. in the early 80’s hillbilly revival, his evolving career and his music, his taste for Nudie threads and nicely blocked Stetsons and his take on the young guns coing around in the music biz today.
Dwight Yoakam mosied into the sold out show on this brisk October night on Central Park’s upper west side as naturally as if he were playing at a State Fairgrounds or a Texas honky-tonk. The adoring crowd of big-buckle Yankees, pretty ladies in tight shirts and tattoos dancing in front of the stage hoping to catch the Honky-tonk man, in his stylish dudes, eye and there was a smattering of Southerners, like myself, appreciative to have a cultural diplomat of this talent stopping in town.
Tift Merritt was a surprise opener for the show and show and she charmed and wowed the crowd with her passionate voice and goofy jokes.
Yoakam’s sharp dressed band hit the stage at about 9:50 in his trademark off-white Stetson set over his eyes, and after a quick “Thanks ya’ll!” they break into “She’ll Remember” the toe-tapping rave-up from his latest release for New West records “Blame the Vain.” The nearly three-hour set was brimming with an embarrassment of riches, “Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose,” “This Time,” Jume Carter’s “Ring of Fire,” - Johnny Horton’s “Honky Tonk Man,” “Stop the World (And Let Me Off),” “A Thousand Miles from Nowhere,” “Little Sister” as well as “Guitars, Cadillacs” — the song that startled the Nashville brass who had written Yoakam off when he was living in Nashvile in the early 80’s.
Yoakam also paid tribute to his late friend and Bakersfield style mentor, Buck Owens by covering his classics “Act Naturally,” “Cryin’ Time” and “Together Again”. The tribute ended with the duet the pair recorded in the 1990s, “Streets of Bakersfield.” I’m sure Owens was smiling down at the performance that night.
After a few minites off stage the band came back out to close things out with Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and the great song of spurned female commupance “Intentional Heartache.”
When he’s in the spotlight, Dwight Yoakam ranks with just a handful of country singers that make it all seem effortless.
Yeah those weasels at the CMJ denied yours truly a press pass to attend their precious conference (don’t they know that tens of people worldwide read this blog?!) but who cares there’s only one show I want to go to anyway and it’s open to the public and CHEAP! from the label:
BLOODSHOT 11th annual CMJ BBQ
Saturday, November 4th @ Union Pool in Brooklyn (Williamsburg)
Sponsored by KDHX, eMusic, and Oskar Blues Brewery.
Tickets $10 or $7 with a CMJ badge.
Public welcomed and encouraged. No invite needed!!!
Beer, BBQ and goodies provided
Doors at noon, music PROMPTLY AT NOON!!
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir (Chicago IL) (chamber folk punk)
Mark Pickerel (Seattle WA)
The Silos (NYC) New CD in Feb 2007
Deadstring Brothers (Detroit MI)
Scott H Biram (Austin TX) (That dirty ‘ol one-man band-Twang)
Bobby Bare Jr (Nashville TN)
THE MEAT PURVEYORS (Austin TX) LAST SHOW EVER!!!!!(RIP dammit-Twang)
Coming to a city built on attitude and pretense Wayne “the Train” Hancock would have none of it. Instead he won over the packed and adoring crowd at the Rodeo Bar with his signature brand of straight-up hillbilly swing in support of his current Bloodshot Records release “Tulsa.” Wayne Hancock is the real deal. No attitude, image consultation or arrogant disdain for his fans. Wayne was a genuine gentleman when I introduced myself and shook his hand (as was his smoking band - Eddie Biebel on lead guitar and the rhythm slappin’ Jake Erwin on Doghouse Bass.)
Rebellion by way of tradition is part of the typical Hancock MO. A tough ex-Marine, Hancock has likened himself to a stab wound in the Nashville fabric of country music. Playing his standard 2 1/2 hr plus show and good-naturedly hamming it up with his band and taking shouted requests from the refreshingly rowdy Manhattan crowd (Yeeehaw booooeeey!) Hancock and his band tore up the stage with a Texas-sized attitude. Hancock covered most of his career, burning through versions of “That’s What Daddy Wants”, ” Highway 54″, “Flatland Boogie” All songs done without a net , no set list, songs called out on the fly or taken from the audience. Near the break Mr. Mark O’connor joined the band onstage for a few songs and a killer version of the fiddle classic “Orange Blossom Special.”
Wayne’s voice has some of the same characteristics as Hank Williams, grandson Hank III likes to say that Hancock sounds more like Hank than Hank did, but Hancock is far too modest to take that compliment to heart. Wayne said in a recent interview: “I always say that’s a nice compliment, when people say that, but could you keep your voice down a little bit?” he says, laughing. “That’s kind of a silly thing to say. How can you sound better than the person who sang it? You can’t. It’s a nice compliment, but it’s like, ‘Geez, man, get a life. Is there a bull’s-eye on me or what?’”
But the sound and style are there, there’s no doubting it. For some of the best in no-bullshit Texas honky-tonk music done with style, passion and grace you can’t do any better than Mr. Wayne “the Train” Hancock.
From the Merlefest press release: Wilkes Community College will present MerleFest 2007, the 20th annual festival in celebration of the music of the late Merle Watson and his father Doc Watson, on its campus in Wilkesboro, NC on April 26 - 29, 2007. Those joining Doc Watson and Merle’s son Richard Watson for MerleFest 2007 will include:
Blue Highway; Sam Bush; Cherryholmes; Elvis Costello; John Cowan Band; Donna The Buffalo; Jerry Douglas; The Duhks; Béla Fleck; Paul Geremia; John Hammond; Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver; Del McCoury Band; Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; Peter Rowan & Tony Rice Quartet; Darrell Scott; the Legendary Earl Scruggs with Family & Friends; Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives; Pam Tillis; The Waybacks; and many others.
MerleFest 2007 has also confirmed appearances by Susana & Timmy Abell;
RG Absher & Extra Measure; Alberti Flea Circus; The Belleville Outfit
(formerly DesChamps Band); Ira Bernstein; Spencer Bohren; Roy Book Binder;
Laura Boosinger; The Carolina Chocolate Drops; T Michael Coleman; Crooked
Still; Deer Clan Singers; Dixie Dawn; Robert Dotson; Benton Flippen Band;
The Flowers Family; Pat Flynn; Forget-Me-Nots; Ruthie Foster; Gospel Jubilators; Mitch Greenhill; Buddy Greene; Dianne Hackworth; George Hamilton IV; Ginny Hawker & Tracy Schwarz; Orville Hicks; Bob Hill; Willette Hinton & the Hinton Family Band; Clint Howard; The Infamous Stringdusters; The InterACTive Theater of Jef; Reverend Robert Jones; Jim Lauderdale; Jack Lawrence; Mark Lippard; Jeff Little; Brack Llewellyn; The Local Boys; The Lonesome Sisters; The Lovell Sisters; Bill Mathis; Thomas Maupin; Andy May; Curly Miller & Carole Ann Rose; NC Thumb and Finger Style Guitar Players, Inc.; Nashville Bluegrass Band; Dirk Powell Band; Red Stick Ramblers; Roan Mountain Hilltoppers; Robinella; Jim Rooney; Tom Sauber; Shana Banana; Larry Skipper; Joe Smothers; Steep Canyon Rangers; Tut Taylor; Joe Thompson & Bob Carlin; Toubab Krewe; Happy Traum; Uncle Earl; The Waybacks; Charles Welch; Pete & Joan Wernick; Cyndi Wheeler; Wilkes Playmakers; Tony Williamson; and The Worthless Son-In-Laws. All bookings are subject to change without notice due to circumstances beyond the control of the festival.
Tickets go on sale on November 14th!
Neo-traditionalist and purveyor of honky-tonk, western swing, blues, Texas rockabilly and Juke Joint Swing, Wayne “the Train” Hancock is bringing his tour in support of his Bloodshot Records latest “Tulsa
Big Apple. October 26th at the Rodeo Bar.
Sure it’s not as cool as having one of your CDs taken aboard a space shuttle, but it is pretty great!
See ya’ll there!
Rhino celebrates the 20th anniversary of Dwight Yoakam’s ‘Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.’ with a remastered version of his 1986 debut expanded with demos for the album recorded five years earlier. The double-disc set also features a live recording of Yoakam playing the Roxy shortly after the album’s release and includes several unreleased live cuts. The deluxe edition of ‘Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.’ will be available October 17th for a suggested list price of $24.98. A digital version of the album will also be available for download at all digital outlets.
Dwight Yoakam will play at the Concert Hall at the New York
Society for Ethical Culture, New York, NY on Thusday Oct 12, 2006 08:00PM
Yeah, this episode of MySpace Showcase is a little late in coming…JEEEEZ…what do you want from me….nag nag nag!!!
Ths weeks band is straight from San Diego California. The Screamin Yeehaws! A steaming bowl of “HonkyTonkPunkRawk” ready to sear your ears. Gives these fine boys a hand, ya hear?
In support of his upcoming release ,”Tulsa” (10/10) on Bloodshot Records, Wayne Hancock will be honky-tonkin his way to a town near you. Hey! Where’s New York City on this list??!!!! Argh!!!!
Oct. 13
Dan’s Silver Leaf
Denton, TX
Oct. 14
Continental Club
Austin, TX
Oct. 17
Smith’s Olde Bar
Atlanta, GA
Oct. 18
The Garage
Winston-Salem, NC
Oct. 19
Neighborhood Theatre
Charlotte, NC
Oct. 21
Hideaway BBQ
Raleigh, NC
Oct. 22
Taphouse Grill
Norfolk, VA
Oct. 26
T.T. The Bears
Cambridge, MA
Oct. 27
Bank St Café
New London, CT
Oct. 28
Club Café
Pittsburgh, PA
Oct. 29
Beachland Ballroom Tavern
Cleveland, OH
