Dwight Yoakam & Dale Earnhardt Jr. Share a Hall of Fame Moment
It’s always cool when the worlds of country music and sports collide, especially when someone has as good of taste as Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose kept a maybe unexpected kismet with country legend Dwight Yoakam over the years. Dale Jr. just also happens to be a good dude on top of that.
If you want to feel old, appreciate that Jr. was just inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame last week. Though we all may think of Jr. as … well, Jr. … he’s now 47-years-old, and semi-retired as a driver, though he’ll still get behind the wheel upon occasion, and still works in ownership and broadcasting. Nonetheless, his days of the weekly racing grind are done.
After Dale Jr.’s Hall of Fame induction, his wife Amy Earnhardt had a surprise for him: a private concert featuring none other than old pal Dwight Yoakam. “Surprising Dale Jr. with anything is so fun for me, BUT this one was the best,” Amy said in an Instagram post, which includes a video of the two dancing to Dwight. “Thank you Dwight Yoakam from the bottom of my heart for coming and playing for us!”
Dale Earnhardt Jr., similar to Dwight Yoakam, was never the most accomplished when considering his career solely from a statistical standpoint. Dale Jr. did have a damn fine career, with two Daytona 500 wins, as well as 26 total wins overall. But it was the attention and dignity that he helped bring to the sport, and the way he carried on the Earnhardt legacy that earned him the “Most Popular Driver” distinction an impressive 15 times during his career.
Similarly, Dwight Yoakam never put up the monster numbers of Garth Brooks or Alan Jackson. He only officially charted two #1 singles in the United States, and fourteen Top 10’s. But just like Dale Jr., Dwight’s impact was outsized due to the influence he had on country music as the genre’s King of Cool, how he kept country honest to its roots, while also bringing in new acolytes by making country accessible. Can you imagine country music over the last three decades without Dwight Yoakam?
So now that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, how about we finally get Dwight Yoakam into the Country Music Hall of Fame? It would be cool to see the two rekindle their friendship as Dale Jr. is one of the folks who helps toast Dwight Yoakam. Dale Jr. is 47, and Dwight Yoakam is 66. It’s a shame so many country legends who will surely be in the Country Music Hall of Fame someday seem to have to wait so long for the distinction, and some never see it in their lifetimes.
Hopefully, the next Hall of Fame induction Dwight Yoakam gets to celebrate is his own.
January 29, 2022 @ 12:34 pm
I got into country music, after hating it for my whole life, when Dwight and Randy Travis came on the scene. Dwight is unique—in the very best possible way. This Time is probably my favorite LP, but there’s quite a competition. That he’s not in the Hall is flat-out wrong.
February 1, 2022 @ 6:54 am
2 of the best gigs I’ve been to ( I’m 70, so seen many) were Dwight and Randy. Both were in London.
January 29, 2022 @ 12:50 pm
Cute… funny song choice too since Dale Jr is a known huge Elvis fan as well.
That’s the thing I’d do if I had money like that, private concerts! 😀
January 29, 2022 @ 1:41 pm
It’s hard to see why he hasn’t made it in already. His pre-streaming album sales are quoted at circa 30 million, he pays homage to the past, and he writes some truly great songs. Maybe he hasn’t/doesn’t spend enough time in Nashville or maybe he’s too loud.
Dwight for HoF is something I can get behind 100%.
January 29, 2022 @ 1:47 pm
Dwight , Gene Watson, and Wynn Stewart, should all be in the HOF. Of course there are
many others.
January 30, 2022 @ 4:01 am
Dwight–Yes. Gene–Borderline, but No, given the logjam. Wynn Stewart–Not in the ballpark.
January 29, 2022 @ 2:36 pm
I hope Dwight makes new music soon, glad he got to meet with JR, NASCAR is okay, I prefer Formula 1 myself .
January 29, 2022 @ 3:06 pm
Two of my favorite things country music and NASCAR. Been a Dale Jr fan since I started watching racing in 2001. Good driver and a great guy! Happy to see him in the Hall.
January 29, 2022 @ 6:20 pm
Definitely think now that Hank Jr is in, he might be the most deserving to get the nod. Someone mentioned gene Watson. I don’t know exactly how long his career lasted far as prime time but did have some great songs but I’m not sure he was relevent long enough
January 29, 2022 @ 6:21 pm
SOTY (well – so far, anyway)
Ice Cold Beer In A Pickup Truck
January 29, 2022 @ 6:32 pm
I love Dwight, seen him three times live, but I gotta say by most metrics/on “paper”, fellow Kentuckian Patty Loveless deserves CMHOF before Dwight.
Not only was her commercial/award winning peak much longer than Dwight’s, so was her creative peak (basically, when she stopped being an active artist). Dwight, hate to say it, dropped off a good bit in both regards around 1994-1995.
Now, my preference would be them both going in the same year, but that’s not happening.
January 30, 2022 @ 4:10 am
JB–I like ’em both and they both deserve to get in, but Dwight is the bigger star. Certainly in terms of breaking past country radio and into the mainstream of American entertainment. Dwight is the more dynamic concert/TV performer and also writes much more.
January 30, 2022 @ 4:55 am
Luckyoldsun – all good points.
And just to be clear, I think Patty Loveless’ body of work (especially in terms of albums) stands well above everyone else from her generation, not just Dwight, in terms of consistency/longevity/excellency. I can’t even think of anybody else who comes close, other than maybe Alan Jackson.
January 30, 2022 @ 5:10 pm
Patty made some very good albums, but I get the impression that her involvement is to record the material that she’s given. Her producers, whether it’s Tony Brown or Emory Gordy are responsible for her sound.
It’s not a gender thing. I’d put Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire up there with the mostly male giants of country music history in terms of creating and projecting unique personas and styles. I think Dwight managed to do that, but not Patty.
I don’t know if the Hall of Fame measures these things, but I think a Dwight Yoakam induction and plaque would draw a lot more fan reponse an attention than the same for Patty Loveless
January 31, 2022 @ 4:12 am
Fair enough. Although I’d argue that while her material and production are very good, Patty Loveless herself is even better, hence she does deserve, if not full credit, then close enough. She is what makes her albums better than the sums of their parts.
As for uniqueness, I’d say that by late 80s/90’s standards her mix of traditional vocal stylings and contemporary music does stand apart from the crowd.
I’m fine with Dwight going in first, but to me Patty should be right up there with him. And since you mentioned gender, for better or worse, it IS relevant that (if anyone disagrees feel free to) she seems to be the obvious front runner for CMHOF over Pam Tillis, Trisha Yearwood, Lorrie Morgan, Wynonna (solo), etc., not to mention pretty much any female singers from the 80s not already in (Reba). Not including Tanya who should be put in as veteran.
January 31, 2022 @ 12:39 pm
Tanya, without a doubt, should be in the Hall. I’ll bet she’ll get in very soon–within the next year or two. Rosanne Cash is a possibility, too. She had 9 or 10 #1 hits, though she comes from that T.G. Shepard era where #1 hits are heavily discounted: #1-hit “machine” Earl Thomas Conley has still not been enshrined.
I’m not a big Trisha fan, but she should get in for having to live with Garth. Having her own plaque might at least give her a modicum of equality in that household with that egomaniac.
January 29, 2022 @ 7:00 pm
Very cool, my wife and I are huge Dwight fans, I was at Dale Jr’s last win at Pocono a few years back, had hot passes and was in winners circle standing next to Amy when the Champaign was uncorked, said to her you should marry that guy! What a great day and I have a Winners hat to boot, my buddy is a big benefactor of the Nascar Foundation.
Dale has good taste in women and Music!
January 29, 2022 @ 8:01 pm
Jr is a class act, Period…. DY is the epitome of cool…. a good actor too… HOF is in his future but probably not in my life time….
January 30, 2022 @ 6:00 am
Dale Jr is liberal gun grabbing garbage.
January 30, 2022 @ 6:12 am
Jr. is a far better broadcaster and podcaster than he was a driver. If it weren’t for his name, Henricks would have dumped him after his first 3 years. He was a mediocre driver in the best equipment and technical support that money could buy. I can’t see how he deserves to be in the NASCAR HOF. He’s a cool dude, but he just didn’t do enough as a driver to deserve the honor. It’s not his fault, but his name got him the popularity and the rides in great equipment that lesser known, better drivers would not have gotten. Dwight probably gets over the hump due to his influence on other artists. However, like or hate Hank Jr., Dwight doesn’t deserve an easier path and/or a shorter wait.
January 30, 2022 @ 8:26 am
He would have my vote for the Hall of Fame. Unique and hugely talented.
January 30, 2022 @ 9:32 am
that’s randy
January 30, 2022 @ 10:31 am
Dwight might lack the sheer number of radio hits and numbers 1s, but makes up for that in quality and longevity. At his shows, you see fans of all ages represented, so he has that multi-generational appeal. And you gotta hand it to him that between he and Randy Travis, they pretty much revived traditional Country Music during a time period when synthesizers and pop sounds were taking over the charts. You might say that Dwight righted the ship as it was drifting off course. So, he will be a Hall of Famer due to those factors. And if that ain’t enough, he brought loads of attention to Buck Owens, as well as reviving his career.
January 31, 2022 @ 7:40 am
Saw Dwight this past weekend live with Rob Leines! He’s still shaking and quaking those knees at 66 better than I’ve ever been able to do. The man’s amazing and has always been. “Guitars, Cadillacs…” is one of the first songs that brought me to what I used to call contemporary “country-country” after I’d been dabbling awhile in “Americana” or Alt-Country throughout the early 90’s. Rob Leines rocked the f’n house as the opening act too. Had no idea there WAS an opener let alone Rob.
January 31, 2022 @ 7:45 am
Dwight carried the torch for traditional country music when it wasn’t cool to do so. He became very successful by forgoing trendiness. It’s hard not to think of the Bakersfield sound and not think of Dwight’s contribution to keep that flame going.
January 31, 2022 @ 7:41 pm
I Saw the Dwight in Richmond Virginia couple weeks ago that was my 20th show to see him the man is a legend and nobody even compares to him and what he’s done for country music and the older he gets the more funny and more friendlier he is. He loves to talk to the crowd to the people his fans he loves it just had a kid he deserves being Hall of Fame that’s for damn sure.and Dale Jr is a good man.he has done a lot for the sport and continues to do so.
February 4, 2022 @ 2:56 pm
My husband and I saw Dwight at The Ryman last month. He and his band were outstanding – one of the best concerts we’ve ever seen. Dwight sounds as good live as he does recorded, and the band was tight. In addition to the wonderful music, he was funny and entertaining. The crowd was just rowdy enough as to not interfere with the show. I’ve always been a fan, but even moreso when he in a non-political way encouraged everyone to take care of each other and balance that with living life and making your own choices (my paraphrase).
February 5, 2022 @ 4:56 pm
Thousand Miles From Nowhere is my most favorite song by Dwight. And I listen to it quite a bit when I’m out driving truck across the country. He has numerous songs I love, but nothing tops Thousand Miles. I agree he needs to be added to the CMHoF.
February 15, 2022 @ 6:36 pm
Love therm both. Stats/sales mean nothing. Their impact on the fans and theur respective industries are what counts, period. (Critics be d*mned) One daring race or a fantastic song will last a lifetime. Quality over quantity….