Dwight Yoakam sings the hits of Buck Owens :: Music News :: Articles

When country music legend Buck Owens paired up with relative newcomer Dwight Yoakam in 1988 to record “Streets of Bakersfield,” the duet became Owens’ first single in 16 years. Owens was motivated to record new albums and perform nearly every weekend at Bakersfield’s Crystal Palace, including the night of his fatal heart attack in March, 2006.

In his honor, Yoakam’s band began adding Owens’ classics to its setlist. Eventually, the homage developed into Dwight Sings Buck, a 15-track tribute album featuring covers of “Act Naturally,” “My Heart Skips a Beat” and other hits, out Oct. 25 on New West Records.

“Eddie Perez (Yoakam’s guitarist) is a huge, huge fan of not only Buck’s but of [Buck’s guitarist] Don Rich,” Yoakam recently stated. “Eddie’s paying tribute to Don on every note he plays. And Josh Grange [of Yoakam’s band] made it almost like a graduate-level thesis to study the pedal steel on Buck’s records.” Yoakam added that his versions aren’t 100 percent straightforward, however. “I wonder what Buck would think of the congas and all that tambourine, the maracas and shakers?”

Yoakam’s last studio album was 2005’s Blame the Vain, which reached number 8 on US country charts. In all, he’s had 17 top 10 country hits. See below for album details, and click here for a video of Owens and Yoakam in concert.

Dwight Sings Buck track listing
1. My Heart Skips A Beat
2. Foolin’ Around
3. I Don’t Care (Just As Long As You Love Me)
4. Only You
5. Act Naturally
6. Down On The Corner Of Love
7. Cryin’ Time
8. Above And Beyond
9. Love’s Gonna Live Here
10. Close Up The Honky Tonks
11. Under Your Spell Again
12. Your Tender Loving Care
13. Excuse Me (I Think I’ve Got A Heartache)
14. Think Of Me
15. Together Again