Dwight Yoakam

Born: 23 October 1956
Where: Pikeville, Kentucky, USA

Singer turned actor Dwight Yoakam learned to play the guitar at the age of six. The musical seeds were sown young and there was no question about his future vocation.

It has even been reported that he wrote his first song when he was only nine years old. The song was called How Far Is Heaven, and was inspired by news coverage of the Vietnam War.

Throughout his school years he formed various bands, and in 1984 Dwight released his first recording, an EP titled A Town South of Bakersfield.

In the late 80's and early 90's, Dwight made a break into TV, with a guest appearance on the short-lived series P.S. I Luv You.

It was in John Dahl's Red Rock West that Dwight featured for the first time, and then in 1995 he was offered a starring role in Painted Hero, a big screen action thriller.

Billy Bob Thornton directed Sling Blade, in 1996 and cast Dwight in a major role. The actor sees this as his breakthrough in the business.

In 2000 Dwight wrote and directed South of Heaven, West of Hell, and two years later he was cast opposite Jodie Foster in Panic Room.

That same year Dwight worked with Billy Bob Thornton again - he produced the road picture-comedy Waking Up in Reno, in which Thornton starred.