Introduction
Young Dwight Yoakam Interviewed by Ralph Emery on Nashville Now, 1985
In 1985, a young Dwight Yoakam stepped into the bright studio lights of Nashville Now and sat down with legendary broadcaster Ralph Emery. At the time, Yoakam was still largely an unknown name outside of honky-tonks and a small but growing circle of loyal fans who admired his relentless touring. Yet this appearance would become one of the first glimpses many viewers had of the man who would go on to redefine country music.
Ralph Emery, known for his calm but probing style, immediately sensed that Yoakam was not the typical Nashville newcomer. The Kentucky-born singer wore his trademark cowboy hat low over his eyes, a sharp contrast to the more polished image of mainstream country stars of the day. He carried himself with quiet confidence, speaking with a blend of humility and determination that revealed both respect for tradition and a burning desire to break boundaries.
During the interview, Emery asked Yoakam about his unconventional path. Instead of arriving in Nashville first, Yoakam had taken his music to Los Angeles, where he found an audience among rock clubs and alternative crowds hungry for something raw and authentic. Yoakam explained that he had been turned away in Nashville more than once, told that his sound was “too hillbilly” and out of step with the slick productions dominating country radio. Rather than compromise, he took his songs to a scene that embraced him for exactly who he was.
What came across most vividly in the interview was Yoakam’s deep reverence for the Bakersfield sound—Merle Haggard and Buck Owens in particular. He spoke passionately about how those artists had shaped his own songwriting, and he made it clear that he wanted to keep that spirit alive in the 1980s. Emery, intrigued, pressed him on whether he thought mainstream Nashville would ever welcome back that rough-edged, twang-heavy sound. Yoakam replied with a grin that he didn’t need everyone’s approval—he just needed enough people to listen.
Between questions, clips of Yoakam performing “Honky Tonk Man” and other early material rolled across the screen. His voice was high, urgent, and unpolished, yet commanding in its authenticity. Emery himself noted how refreshing it was to hear a new artist who wasn’t afraid to sound different, who wasn’t chasing the same formula dominating the airwaves.
Looking back, that interview feels almost prophetic. Within a year, Dwight Yoakam’s debut album Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. would storm onto the charts, bringing honky-tonk grit back into the national conversation. His blend of Bakersfield influences and rock-club energy helped spark what critics later called the “new traditionalist” wave of country music. But in 1985, sitting across from Ralph Emery, none of that was guaranteed. All that existed was a young artist, determined and defiant, explaining why he believed in his music even when the industry doors stayed shut.
The clip today remains a snapshot of a turning point—not only for Dwight Yoakam’s career but for country music as a whole. It shows a rising star before fame, articulating his vision with honesty and fire. And it reminds us that sometimes the most important interviews aren’t about looking back on success, but about capturing the moment just before it begins.