Post by BAZanine on Apr 1, 2024 1:17:02 GMT
Dwight David Yoakam (23 October 1956 - present)
Years Active: 1984 - present
Voice Type: Guitars, Baritones, Hillbilly Music
Vocal Range: E2 - B♭5
{Vocal Summary}With all due respect to the King of Country, George Strait has never tapped the full potential of the sound he pioneered. The neotraditional movement, in my view, is a great concept. The timelessly vibrant arrangements on display throughout the best of the subgenre blow any status quo of the time out of the water. The songs can breathe. But putting a fiddle on a mediocre country ballad makes a...mediocre country ballad with a fiddle. Shocker. Given how horrendously successful Strait has been in his life, the influence he and his cut of artist have had should not be shrugged off. I feel the lifeblood of country music has largely been undercut, subjected to a thematic and sonic stagnation that has now plagued the genre for decades. You know, the whole 'pickup truck,' 'cheating-on-my-wife,' 'but-it's-okay-because-I-love-America-and-Jesus' shtick. There was assuredly a time when country was not a divisive genre, in large part because it didn't encompass just one dated ideal that you either do or don't relate to. Its ideal was freedom. Love. Happiness. You know, things that virtually everyone is on board with. Nonetheless, these are exactly what we lost along the way.
For how long I've been talking about a singer completely unrelated, I'm obviously raring to make a contrast. Dwight Yoakam does not suffer from any of this. I honestly think he's one of the last even mildly enduring country singers to try and keep traditional Americana in the conversation. That said, it ran me a similar price to get a respectable seat at a show of his smack-dab in the middle of Amish country as it would have to barely have Strait within eyeshot at a stadium concert tucked neatly below the Big Apple. That is to say, team Americana probably didn't win this one.
Did you expect me to tie this back to his voice? Because I was just gonna keep rambling if you didn't stop me.
Well, anyway…
Dwight Yoakam has a very recognizable voice. To those not acclimated, "recognizable" does not strictly mean "palatable." He possesses an immense amount of twang (even by country music's standards) which the casual listener may find abrasive. Hell, when I first heard him sing without it I had to do a double-take and make sure I was still listening to the same guy. I personally find this aspect of his voice quite endearing, though; it sets him apart. If you're at all into country music and you hear him, you know you're listening to Dwight Yoakam (not to mention his music is so much better than his contemporaries', but I digress). Dwight is a somewhat conservative vocalist in terms of range (most of the time), not even cracking two octaves on many of his albums. A baritone with an underutilized low register and a difficult high register, if you will. He did eventually clear that oft-sought three-octave metric, sprinkling in some hooty falsetto notes and even high screams that you would not at all expect from him. They definitely surprised me, anyway. Dwight Yoakam, by and large, is not as much of a "comfort zone" singer as someone like Strait is, largely because Dwight does actually approach his vocal ceilings and floors much more often, even if they're a bit closer together. A lot of the time this gives his deliveries an air of intensity that you won't find elsewhere, and moreover that elusive "badass" aura. Just the same, he knows when to slow things down and utilize a very nice midrange, having quite the pleasant croon in his own right. His deliveries always sound inspired, unique, and quite frankly, like someone who actually gives a damn about what he's singing.
In closing, I do have to give the King of Country some credit. George Strait, you may not be my favorite singer. Well no, I'll clarify: you ARE NOT my favorite singer. It's not even close. Pack it up. But before you go, I'll thank you for leading me to someone who, God forbid, is an actual contender. Dwight Yoakam has a voice, image, and an eclecticism about him that I find so damn admirable and really, just plain awesome. He stands out far above the typical mire that people have come to associate with country music and gives me hope that the genre might still have potential. Fingers crossed, anyway.
For how long I've been talking about a singer completely unrelated, I'm obviously raring to make a contrast. Dwight Yoakam does not suffer from any of this. I honestly think he's one of the last even mildly enduring country singers to try and keep traditional Americana in the conversation. That said, it ran me a similar price to get a respectable seat at a show of his smack-dab in the middle of Amish country as it would have to barely have Strait within eyeshot at a stadium concert tucked neatly below the Big Apple. That is to say, team Americana probably didn't win this one.
Did you expect me to tie this back to his voice? Because I was just gonna keep rambling if you didn't stop me.
Well, anyway…
Dwight Yoakam has a very recognizable voice. To those not acclimated, "recognizable" does not strictly mean "palatable." He possesses an immense amount of twang (even by country music's standards) which the casual listener may find abrasive. Hell, when I first heard him sing without it I had to do a double-take and make sure I was still listening to the same guy. I personally find this aspect of his voice quite endearing, though; it sets him apart. If you're at all into country music and you hear him, you know you're listening to Dwight Yoakam (not to mention his music is so much better than his contemporaries', but I digress). Dwight is a somewhat conservative vocalist in terms of range (most of the time), not even cracking two octaves on many of his albums. A baritone with an underutilized low register and a difficult high register, if you will. He did eventually clear that oft-sought three-octave metric, sprinkling in some hooty falsetto notes and even high screams that you would not at all expect from him. They definitely surprised me, anyway. Dwight Yoakam, by and large, is not as much of a "comfort zone" singer as someone like Strait is, largely because Dwight does actually approach his vocal ceilings and floors much more often, even if they're a bit closer together. A lot of the time this gives his deliveries an air of intensity that you won't find elsewhere, and moreover that elusive "badass" aura. Just the same, he knows when to slow things down and utilize a very nice midrange, having quite the pleasant croon in his own right. His deliveries always sound inspired, unique, and quite frankly, like someone who actually gives a damn about what he's singing.
In closing, I do have to give the King of Country some credit. George Strait, you may not be my favorite singer. Well no, I'll clarify: you ARE NOT my favorite singer. It's not even close. Pack it up. But before you go, I'll thank you for leading me to someone who, God forbid, is an actual contender. Dwight Yoakam has a voice, image, and an eclecticism about him that I find so damn admirable and really, just plain awesome. He stands out far above the typical mire that people have come to associate with country music and gives me hope that the genre might still have potential. Fingers crossed, anyway.
Significant High Notes:
B♭5 ("Dim Lights, Thick Smoke", "A Heart Like Mine", "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day")
A5 ("Doin' What I Did")
G♯5 ("Liar")
G5 ("The Big Time", "Gone (That'll Be Me)" Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version)
F♯5 ("Man of Constant Sorrow", "Streets of Bakersfield" live Austin City Limits 4/10/2015, "These Arms" Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version)
F5 ("Keep on the Sunny Side" live, "What I Don't Know" Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version)
E5 ("High on a Mountain of Love", "Nothing but Love" Second Hand Heart bonus track)
E♭5 ("Cattle Call", "She")
D5 ("Believe", "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" live San Francisco 31/12/1985, "Sad, Sad Music" Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version)
B4 ("Please Daddy" 1981 demo, "Silver Bells")
B♭4 ("New San Antonio Rose")
G4 ("I Don't Need It Done", "Mercury Blues", "Suspicious Minds" live, "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" This Time version)
F♯4 ("Alright, I'm Wrong", "Believe", "Bury Me" 1981 demo, "Claudette", "The Darkest Hour", "The Distance Between You and Me" If There Was a Way version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "The First Thing Smokin'", "Guitars, Cadillacs", "Hello Walls" The Kennedy Center Honors 1998, "I'll Be Gone" 1981 demo, "I'll Just Take These", "It Won't Hurt" Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Listen" Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Long White Cadillac" live San Francisco 30/7/1994, "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" live, "Never Hold You", "Only Want You More", "Ring of Fire", "Same Fool", "Santa Claus Is Back in Town", "Silver Bells", "Since I Started Drinkin' Again", "Sorry You Asked?", "Stop the World", "Two Doors Down" Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Wichita Lineman", "Yet to Succeed")
F4 ("Ain't That Lonely Yet", "The Boxer" live Hollywood 3/2/2024, "Don't Be Sad", "Excuse Me (I Think I've Got a Heartache)", "Gone (That'll Be Me)" Gone version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Hold My Hand", "Home for Sale" This Time version, "I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me)", "I Don't Need It Done", "I Wanna Love Again", "I'd Avoid Me Too", "Intentional Heartache", "Keep on the Sunny Side" live, "Long Goodbye", "Love's Gonna Live Here", "Mystery Train" live San Francisco 31/12/1985, "No Such Thing", "North to Alaska", "Nothing", "Only You (Can Break My Heart)", "Playboy", "Purple Rain", "Rocky Road Blues", "The Sad Side of Town", "Same Old Train", "Santa Can't Stay", "Send a Message to My Heart", "Sorry You Asked?", "Suspicious Minds", "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" SiriusXM Radio 2018, "Tired of Waiting for You", "Together Again", "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day", "Truckin'", "V's of Birds", "Watch Out", "A World of Blue")
E4 ("1,000 Miles" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Above and Beyond", "Act Naturally", "Alright, I'm Wrong", "Always Late With Your Kisses", "Away in a Manger", "Baby Don't Go", "Believe", "The Big Time", "Borrowed Love", "Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room (She Wore Red Dresses)" Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Bury Me" Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Can't You Hear Me Calling" live, "Christmas Eve With the Babylonian Cowboys: Jingle Bells", "Claudette", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Cryin' Time", "Dangerous Man", "The Darkest Hour", "Doin' What I Did", "Dreams of Clay" Tomorrow's Sounds Today version / Second Hand Heart version, "Fair to Midland", "Fast as You" dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "The First Thing Smokin'", "For Love's Sake", "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues", "The Grand Tour" live, "Guitars, Cadillacs" Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "A Heart Like Mine", "The Heart That You Own", "The Heartaches Are Free", "Here Comes Santa Claus", "High on a Mountain of Love", "Home for Sale" This Time version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Honky Tonk Man", "I Hear You Knockin'", "'I Said' (Paradise Reprise)", "I Sang Dixie", "I Wanna Love Again", "I Want You to Want Me", "I Was There", "I Wouldn't Put It Past Me" A Long Way Home version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "I'll Be Gone" Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "I'll Be Home for Christmas", "I'll Pretend", "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide", "If There Was a Way" If There Was a Way version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "If You Were Me", "In Another World", "It Only Hurts When I Cry" dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "It Won't Hurt" Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "It's Never Alright", "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" live San Francisco 31/12/1985, "King of Fools", "The Last Surrender", "The Last Time", "The Late Great Golden State", "Listen" A Long Way Home version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Little Sister" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Little Ways" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Loco Motion", "Lonesome Roads" This Time version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "A Long Way Home" A Long Way Home version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Long Way to Go - Reprise", "Louisville", "Lucky That Way", "Miner's Prayer" 1981 demo / Dwight's Used Records version, "Missing Heart", "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" live, "My Heart Skips a Beat", "Mystery Train" live, "Near You", "North to Alaska", "Nothing's Changed Here" If There Was a Way version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "One More Name", "Only the Lonely" live 1990, "Only Want You More", "Only You (Can Break My Heart)", "Paradise", "A Place to Cry", "Please, Please Baby" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Population Me", "A Promise You Can't Keep", "Rapid City, South Dakota", "Readin', Rightin', Rt. 23" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Ring of Fire", "Rock It All Away", "Rocky Road Blues" live, "Run Run Rudolph", "Sad, Sad Music" If There Was a Way version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Same Fool", "Santa Can't Stay", "Santa Claus Is Back in Town", "Second Hand Heart", "Send Me the Pillow", "She", "She'll Remember", "Silent Night", "Sin City", "Since I Started Drinkin' Again", "Smoke Along the Track", "Some Dark Holler", "Somewhere", "Stayin' Up Late (Thinkin' About It)", "Stop the World", "Streets of Bakersfield" live, "Sweet Suzanne", "T for Texas", "Take Hold of My Hand", "Takes a Lot to Rock You", "That's Okay", "These Arms" A Long Way Home version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Things Change" A Long Way Home version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Thinking About Leaving", "This Drinkin' Will Kill Me" 1981 demo, "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" This Time version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Three Good Reasons", "Throughout All Time" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Time Spent Missing You", "To Love Somebody" live Las Vegas 6/12/2011, "Together Again", "Train in Vain", "Traveler's Lantern", "Try Not to Look So Pretty", "Trying", "Turn It on, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose", "Twenty Years", "Two Doors Down" This Time version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Under Your Spell Again", "Waiting", "What Do You Know About Love", "What I Don't Know" Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Wheels", "When I First Came Here", "Who'll Stop the Rain", "You're the One")
E♭4 ("3 Pears", "Baby Why Not", "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)", "Close Up the Honky Tonks", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Don't Be Sad", "Down on the Corner of Love", "Dreams of Clay" Tomorrow's Sounds Today version, "Excuse Me (I Think I've Got a Heartache)", "Fast as You" This Time version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Gone (That'll Be Me)" Gone version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Guitars, Cadillacs" dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Here Comes the Night", "I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me)", "It Is Well With My Soul", "Liar", "Long White Cadillac", "Man of Constant Sorrow", "Maybe You Like It, Maybe You Don't", "Mercury Blues", "Mystery Train", "Never Hold You", "Nothing", "Nothing but Love" 3 Pears version / Second Hand Heart bonus track, "One More Night", "Playboy", "Pretty Horses", "Purple Rain", "Rocky Road Blues", "She", "Somewhere", "Stayin' Up Late (Thinkin' About It)", "Think of Me", "This Much I Know", "Truckin'", "What's Left of Me", "Wild Ride" live New York 1994 / live Sonoria Music Festival 9/7/1994 / live San Francisco 30/7/1994)
D4 ("Ain't That Lonely Yet", "Away in a Manger", "The Back of Your Hand", "Believe", "Blame the Vain", "Borrowed Love", "Christmas Eve With the Babylonian Cowboys: Jingle Bells", "Cryin' Time", "The Darkest Hour", "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke", "The Distance Between You and Me" If There Was a Way version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Down the Road" live San Francisco 31/12/1985, "Dreams of Clay" Second Hand Heart version, "An Exception to the Rule", "Fast as You" This Time version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "The First Thing Smokin'", "Floyd County", "Foolin' Around", "For Love's Sake", "Free to Go" Tomorrow's Sounds Today version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Guitars, Cadillacs" Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "A Heart Like Mine", "Heartaches by the Number", "Hold My Hand", "Home of the Blues", "I Come to the Garden Alone" live Bakersfield 2/4/2006, "I Hear You Knockin'", "I Wanna Love Again", "I'd Avoid Me Too", "I'll Be Gone" Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "I'll Go Back to Her", "I'll Just Take These", "I'll Pretend", "If You Were Me", "In Another World", "It's Never Alright", "Johnson's Love" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Just Passin' Time", "Keep on the Sunny Side" live, "King of Fools", "The Last Heart in Line", "The Last Surrender", "The Last Time", "Let's Work Together", "Listen" A Long Way Home version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Little Chapel", "Long Goodbye", "A Long Way Home" A Long Way Home version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Love Caught Up to Me", "Me and Paul" live Los Angeles 30/4/2023, "Miner's Prayer" Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. version / Dwight's Used Records version, "Lucky That Way", "My Heart Skips a Beat", "Never Hold You", "New San Antonio Rose", "No Future in Sight", "No Such Thing", "North to Alaska", "One More Name", "A Place to Cry", "Please Daddy" 1981 demo, "Pocket of a Clown", "Purple Rain", "Rock It All Away", "The Sad Side of Town", "Same Old Train", "Santa Can't Stay", "Second Hand Heart", "Send Me the Pillow", "She'll Remember", "Silver Bells", "Sin City", "Since I Started Drinkin' Again", "Sloop John B" The Live Room 2012, "Smoke Along the Track" Nashville Now 1992, "South of Cincinnati", "Streets of Bakersfield", "Suspicious Minds", "Sweet Suzanne", "Tears for Two", "That's Okay", "Things Change" A Long Way Home version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Things We Said Today", "This Drinkin' Will Kill Me" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "This Time", "Throughout All Time" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Tired of Waiting for You", "Trains and Boats and Planes", "Try Not to Look So Pretty", "Trying", "Twenty Years", "V's of Birds", "Watch Out", "Waterfall", "What Do You Know About Love", "What I Don't Know" Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "What's Left of Me", "Wheels", "When I First Came Here", "Wichita Lineman", "Words", "Who at the Door Is Standing", "Yet to Succeed", "You're the One", "Your Tender Loving Care")
Significant Low Notes:
D3 ("Above and Beyond", "Ain't That Lonely Yet", "Away in a Manger", "Believe", "Blame the Vain", "Christmas Eve With the Babylonian Cowboys: Jingle Bells", "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)", "Close Up the Honky Tonks", "Cryin' Time", "The Curse", "The Darkest Hour", "The Distance Between You and Me" If There Was a Way version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Does It Show", "Down the Road" live San Francisco 31/12/1985, "The First Thing Smokin'", "Floyd County", "Foolin' Around", "Free to Go" Tomorrow's Sounds Today version, "Here Comes the Night", "Hold My Hand", "Home of the Blues", "I'd Avoid Me Too", "I'll Be Gone" Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "I'll Just Take These", "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide", "If Teardrops Were Diamonds", "It Won't Hurt" Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "It's Never Alright", "Johnson's Love" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Just Passin' Time", "The Last Heart in Line", "The Last Time", "Let's Work Together", "Listen" A Long Way Home version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Loco Motion", "Lonesome Roads" This Time version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Long Goodbye", "A Long Way Home" A Long Way Home version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Lucky That Way", "Me and Paul" live Los Angeles 30/4/2023, "Miner's Prayer" Dwight's Used Records version, "Missing Heart", "My Heart Skips a Beat", "No Future in Sight", "One More Name", "Only the Lonely" live 1990, "A Place to Cry", "Playboy", "Please Daddy" 1981 demo, "Same Old Train", "Second Hand Heart", "She'll Remember", "Since I Started Drinkin' Again", "Sloop John B" The Live Room 2012, "Sorry You Asked?", "South of Cincinnati", "Streets of Bakersfield", "Suspicious Minds", "Sweet Suzanne", "That's Okay", "Things We Said Today", "Thinking About Leaving", "This Drinkin' Will Kill Me" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" This Time version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Throughout All Time" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Train in Vain", "Try Not to Look So Pretty", "Turn It on, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose" live Sonoria Music Festival 9/7/1994, "Twenty Years", "Two Doors Down" This Time version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Under Your Spell Again", "Understand Your Man", "Watch Out", "Waterfall", "What's Left of Me", "Wheels", "When I First Came Here", "Yet to Succeed")
C♯3 ("Ain't That Lonely Yet" live, "Alright, I'm Wrong", "Always Late With Your Kisses", "Baby Why Not", "The Big Time", "Dangerous Man", "The Distance Between You and Me" If There Was a Way version, "Down on the Corner of Love", "Dreams of Clay" Second Hand Heart version, "Floyd County", "Foolin' Around", "The Grand Tour" live, "Guitars, Cadillacs" Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. version, "Heart of Stone", "High on a Mountain of Love", "Honky Tonk Man", "I Come to the Garden Alone" live Bakersfield 2/4/2006, "I Hear You Knockin'", "I'd Avoid Me Too", "It Is Well With My Soul", "Little Chapel", "Little Sister" Hillbilly Deluxe version, "Little Ways" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Long Way to Go - Reprise", "Love's Gonna Live Here", "Man of Constant Sorrow", "Miner's Prayer" live San Francisco 30/7/1994, "Near You", "Nothing", "Nothing but Love" Second Hand Heart bonus track, "Nothing's Changed Here" If There Was a Way version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Paradise", "Pretty Horses", "Rock It All Away", "Sad, Sad Music" If There Was a Way version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Santa Claus Is Back in Town", "Send Me the Pillow", "Streets of Bakersfield" live, "Things We Said Today" Later 14/10/1992, "Thinking About Leaving", "Twenty Years", "What Do You Know About Love", "You're the One" live London 27/9/1992)
C3 ("Away in a Manger", "The Back of Your Hand", "The Boxer" live Hollywood 3/2/2024, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "The Darkest Hour", "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke" live, "Does It Show", "Down on the Corner of Love", "Fair to Midland", "Guitars, Cadillacs" live Sonoria Music Festival 9/7/1994 / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Hold on to God", "Home for Sale" This Time version, "I'll Be Gone" Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Johnson's Love" dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "The Last Heart in Line", "The Last Surrender", "Long White Cadillac" live Sonoria Music Festival 9/7/1994 / live San Francisco 30/7/1994, "Maybe You Like It, Maybe You Don't", "Me and Paul" live Los Angeles 30/4/2023, "Mercury Blues", "Nothing's Changed Here" live San Francisco 30/7/1994, "Only the Lonely" live 1990, "Only You (Can Break My Heart)", "Population Me", "Rocky Road Blues", "Same Old Train", "Some Dark Holler", "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" This Time version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Throughout All Time" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Tired of Waiting for You", "Two Doors Down" This Time version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "V's of Birds", "Who at the Door Is Standing", "Wichita Lineman", "Words")
B2 ("1,000 Miles" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "The Big Time", "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" The Kennedy Center Honors 1998, "Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room (She Wore Red Dresses)" Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Cattle Call", "Come on Christmas", "An Exception to the Rule", "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues", "The Heart That You Own", "Hello Walls" The Kennedy Center Honors 1998, "Here Comes Santa Claus", "High on a Mountain of Love", "Hold on to God", "Holding Things Together", "Home for Sale" This Time version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Honky Tonk Man", "I Got You", "I Sang Dixie", "I'll Be Home for Christmas", "I'll Just Take These", "If Teardrops Were Diamonds", "It Only Hurts When I Cry" If There Was a Way version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "It Won't Hurt" live Hollywood 1986, "Long Way to Go", "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" live, "Near You", "North to Alaska", "Off Your Mind", "One More Name", "Please, Please Baby" live Austin City Limits 1988, "Pocket of a Clown", "Rapid City, South Dakota", "Sad, Sad Music" If There Was a Way version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version / Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version, "Santa Can't Stay", "Silent Night", "Since I Started Drinkin' Again", "Smoke Along the Track", "Some Dark Holler", "South of Cincinnati", "Stop the World", "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" live Sonoria Music Festival 9/7/1994 / live San Francisco 30/7/1994, "Waiting", "Watch Out", "What I Don't Know" Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room version, "Who'll Stop the Rain")
B♭2 ("The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)", "Here Comes the Night", "Honky Tonk Man" live Sonoria Music Festival 9/7/1994, "I Don't Need It Done", "I Sang Dixie" live London 27/9/1992, "I'll Go Back to Her", "It Only Hurts When I Cry" live San Francisco 30/7/1994, "Little Sister" live Sonoria Music Festival 9/7/1994 / live San Francisco 30/7/1994 / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Long White Cadillac" live Sonoria Music Festival 9/7/1994 / live San Francisco 30/7/1994, "Mystery Train", "Nothing's Changed Here" live San Francisco 30/7/1994, "Pocket of a Clown" ACM Awards 1994 / live New York 1994, "Two Doors Down" live San Francisco 30/7/1994, "Rocky Road Blues" live San Francisco 30/7/1994, "Silent Night", "Suspicious Minds" live San Francisco 30/7/1994, "Turn It on, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose" live Sonoria Music Festival 9/7/1994, "V's of Birds")
A2 ("1,000 Miles" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Always Late With Your Kisses", "Cattle Call", "Doin' What I Did", "Dreams of Clay" Second Hand Heart version, "Fair to Midland", "The Grand Tour" live, "Heartaches by the Number", "Holding Things Together", "I'll Be Home for Christmas", "I'll Go Back to Her", "Lonesome Roads" This Time version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "Love Caught Up to Me", "Lucky That Way", "North to Alaska", "Off Your Mind", "Please Daddy" 1981 demo, "Population Me", "Rapid City, South Dakota", "Readin', Rightin', Rt. 23" Hillbilly Deluxe version / dwightyoakamacoustic.net version, "T for Texas", "Then Here Came Monday", "Try Not to Look So Pretty", "Understand Your Man", "Wichita Lineman")
G♯2 ("Come on Christmas", "Heart of Stone", "The Heart That You Own" The Whoopi Goldberg Show 1992 / live Sonoria Music Festival 9/7/1994 / live San Francisco 30/7/1994, "Holding Things Together", "I Got You", "Lonesome Roads" live San Francisco 30/7/1994, "Long Way to Go", "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" live Hollywood 1986, "New San Antonio Rose", "Please, Please Baby" live Austin City Limits 1988, "Smoke Along the Track", "Then Here Came Monday", "This Much I Know", "Waiting")
G2 ("Fast as You" This Time version, "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues", "Home of the Blues" live Austin City Limits 1988, "The Last Surrender", "Maybe You Like It, Maybe You Don't", "Readin', Rightin', Rt. 23" Hillbilly Deluxe version, "Run Run Rudolph", "Sin City", "Tired of Waiting for You", "Words")
F♯2 ("Baby Why Not", "Come on Christmas", "Sin City")
F2 ("Tired of Waiting for You")
E2 ("I Got You", "Little Ways" live Austin City Limits 1988)
…………………………………………………………………….
*Blue marks clear falsetto notes.
*Green marks harsh/distorted notes.
*Italics mark non-melodic notes.
*Boldface marks notes that are considered impressive in relation to this person's vocal capabilities.
*Underlines mark notes obscured in the mix of the song.
*Dates on this thread are listed with the format DD/MM/YYYY.
Best Vocal Performances:
1. Dreams of Clay Second Hand Heart version
2. I Don't Need It Done
3. Ain't That Lonely Yet
4. It Is Well With My Soul
5. Tired of Waiting for You
6. The Darkest Hour
7. Alright, I'm Wrong
8. A Thousand Miles from Nowhere This Time version
9. Waiting
10. In Another World
11. Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day
12. Population Me
13. Listen
14. You're the One
15. V's of Birds
16. Wichita Lineman
17. Together Again
18. Santa Can't Stay
19. Guitars, Cadillacs Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. version
20. Two Doors Down Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… version
21. Only You (Can Break My Heart)
22. Long Way to Go - Reprise
23. Here Comes the Night
24. Nothing
25. Suspicious Minds
26. I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
27. The Heart That You Own
28. Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues
29. I Sang Dixie Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room version
30. The Last Heart in Line
{Questionable Notes}D6 ("Long White Cadillac"[2b])
E♭5 ("Me and Paul" live Los Angeles 30/4/2023[2b])
D5 ("What Do You Know About Love"[2b])
B4 ("Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day"[2b])
G♯4 ("Long White Cadillac"[2b])
G4 ("Act Naturally"[2b], "Understand Your Man"[2b])
F♯4 ("Fast as You" This Time version[1a], "Intentional Heartache"[2b], "The Late Great Golden State"[2b], "Who'll Stop the Rain"[2b])
F4 ("'I Said' (Paradise Reprise)"[2b], "She'll Remember"[2b], "Some Dark Holler"[2b])
G2 ("Nothing"[2c])
F♯2 ("Guitars, Cadillacs" live Austin City Limits 1988[2d])
F2 ("What I Don't Know" live Austin City Limits 1988[2d])
E2 ("Smoke Along the Track" live Austin City Limits 1988[2d])
D2 ("Fast as You" This Time version[2a])
.......................................................
[1] Questionable identity.
a. Ambiguous backing vocal.
[2] Questionable representativeness.
a. Weak fried notes.
b. Brief trills in high range.
c. Weak spoken notes.
d. Brief dips and anacrusis in low range.
E♭5 ("Me and Paul" live Los Angeles 30/4/2023[2b])
D5 ("What Do You Know About Love"[2b])
B4 ("Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day"[2b])
G♯4 ("Long White Cadillac"[2b])
G4 ("Act Naturally"[2b], "Understand Your Man"[2b])
F♯4 ("Fast as You" This Time version[1a], "Intentional Heartache"[2b], "The Late Great Golden State"[2b], "Who'll Stop the Rain"[2b])
F4 ("'I Said' (Paradise Reprise)"[2b], "She'll Remember"[2b], "Some Dark Holler"[2b])
G2 ("Nothing"[2c])
F♯2 ("Guitars, Cadillacs" live Austin City Limits 1988[2d])
F2 ("What I Don't Know" live Austin City Limits 1988[2d])
E2 ("Smoke Along the Track" live Austin City Limits 1988[2d])
D2 ("Fast as You" This Time version[2a])
.......................................................
[1] Questionable identity.
a. Ambiguous backing vocal.
[2] Questionable representativeness.
a. Weak fried notes.
b. Brief trills in high range.
c. Weak spoken notes.
d. Brief dips and anacrusis in low range.
{Notewatched Discography & Album Ranges}Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. (1986) (A2 - F♯4)
Hillbilly Deluxe (1987) (G2 - E4)
Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room (1988) (E2 - E4)
If There Was a Way (1990) (B♭2 - G4)
This Time (1993) (G2 - A2 - F4 - G4)
Dwight Live (1995)[1] (G♯2 - F♯4 - C♯5)[2]
Gone (1995) (F♯2 - F♯4)
Under the Covers (1997) (F2 - F♯4)[3]
Come on Christmas (1997) (F♯2 - F♯4 - B4)[4]
A Long Way Home (1998) (G2 - F♯4)
dwightyoakamacoustic.net (2000) (A2 - F♯4)
Tomorrow's Sounds Today (2000) (A2 - F♯4)
South of Heaven, West of Hell (2001) (G2 - F♯4)
Population Me (2003) (A2 - F4)
In Others' Words (2003) (G♯2 - F4 - E♭5)[5]
Dwight's Used Records (2004) (G♯2 - G4)[6]
Blame the Vain (2005) (A2 - F4)
Live from Austin, TX (2005)[1] (E2 - E4)[7]
Dwight Sings Buck (2007) (C3 - F4)
3 Pears (2012) (G♯2 - E4 - B♭5)
Second Hand Heart (2015) (A2 - F4 - F♯4 - G5 - G♯5)
Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… (2016) (B2 - F♯4 - G5)
+ Singles
+ Features
+ Live performances[8]
.......................................................
[1] marks live albums.
[2] the C♯5 in this album comes from "Streets of Bakersfield." However, Yoakam hits an F♯5 in another performance and as such the C♯5 is not listed.
[3] tracks 8 and 10 were initially released in 1992. They do not necessarily represent Yoakam's range in 1997, though the album range is unaffected.
[4] track 6 was initially released in 1987. It does not necessarily represent Yoakam's range in 1997, though the album range is unaffected.
[5] this album compiles previously released material from various points in Yoakam's career. As such, its album range does not necessarily represent Yoakam's range in 2003.
[6] this album compiles previously released material from various points in Yoakam's career. As such, its album range does not necessarily represent Yoakam's range in 2004.
[7] this album was recorded in 1988. As such, its album range does not necessarily represent Yoakam's range in 2005.
[8] Yoakam switched from E tuning to E♭ tuning sometime during 1992 and switched back to E tuning in approximately 1998. As such, many songs are sung a semitone lower than in their original recordings during this timeframe. For the sake of surety, however, I have only included demonstrable instances of Yoakam hitting significant notes rather than simply claiming that he hit them between 1992 and 1997.
Hillbilly Deluxe (1987) (G2 - E4)
Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room (1988) (E2 - E4)
If There Was a Way (1990) (B♭2 - G4)
This Time (1993) (G2 - A2 - F4 - G4)
Dwight Live (1995)[1] (G♯2 - F♯4 - C♯5)[2]
Gone (1995) (F♯2 - F♯4)
Under the Covers (1997) (F2 - F♯4)[3]
Come on Christmas (1997) (F♯2 - F♯4 - B4)[4]
A Long Way Home (1998) (G2 - F♯4)
dwightyoakamacoustic.net (2000) (A2 - F♯4)
Tomorrow's Sounds Today (2000) (A2 - F♯4)
South of Heaven, West of Hell (2001) (G2 - F♯4)
Population Me (2003) (A2 - F4)
In Others' Words (2003) (G♯2 - F4 - E♭5)[5]
Dwight's Used Records (2004) (G♯2 - G4)[6]
Blame the Vain (2005) (A2 - F4)
Live from Austin, TX (2005)[1] (E2 - E4)[7]
Dwight Sings Buck (2007) (C3 - F4)
3 Pears (2012) (G♯2 - E4 - B♭5)
Second Hand Heart (2015) (A2 - F4 - F♯4 - G5 - G♯5)
Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars… (2016) (B2 - F♯4 - G5)
+ Singles
+ Features
+ Live performances[8]
.......................................................
[1] marks live albums.
[2] the C♯5 in this album comes from "Streets of Bakersfield." However, Yoakam hits an F♯5 in another performance and as such the C♯5 is not listed.
[3] tracks 8 and 10 were initially released in 1992. They do not necessarily represent Yoakam's range in 1997, though the album range is unaffected.
[4] track 6 was initially released in 1987. It does not necessarily represent Yoakam's range in 1997, though the album range is unaffected.
[5] this album compiles previously released material from various points in Yoakam's career. As such, its album range does not necessarily represent Yoakam's range in 2003.
[6] this album compiles previously released material from various points in Yoakam's career. As such, its album range does not necessarily represent Yoakam's range in 2004.
[7] this album was recorded in 1988. As such, its album range does not necessarily represent Yoakam's range in 2005.
[8] Yoakam switched from E tuning to E♭ tuning sometime during 1992 and switched back to E tuning in approximately 1998. As such, many songs are sung a semitone lower than in their original recordings during this timeframe. For the sake of surety, however, I have only included demonstrable instances of Yoakam hitting significant notes rather than simply claiming that he hit them between 1992 and 1997.
Special thanks to Goober and Bink for helping me order the Best Vocal Performances list. Photo by Michael Ochs.
