American country singer-songwriter Dwight David Yoakam was born on October 23, 1956. Popular in the 1980s, he has recorded more than 20 albums and compilations. Billboard magazine has placed more than 30 of Yoakam's songs on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Yoakam was born in Pikeville, Kentucky, to Ruth Ann and David Yoakam, a gas station owner. Dwight spent his childhood in Columbus, Ohio, where he lived with his mother and stepfather, who was a white-collar worker.

On June 9, 1974, he graduated from Northland High School in Columbus. Throughout his school years, Yoakam excelled in music and drama. He constantly won leading roles in school plays, and teachers such as Jerry McAfee (music) and Charles Lewis (acting) helped hone his abilities. In his free time, Yoakam sang and played guitar with local garage bands.

When Yoakam was at the beginning of his music career, all of Nashville was listening to the music of the Urban Cowboy group, while Dwight's band, with its honky-tonk style, enjoyed neither success nor public interest.