Introduction
Dwight Yoakam Reveals the Truth About Buck Owens: ‘He Was Complicated’
At 69, country music maverick Dwight Yoakam is finally providing a raw and honest look back at his complex relationship with his hero and mentor, the late Buck Owens. Their partnership, which revitalized the Bakersfield sound in the late 1980s, was always seen as a generational passing of the torch. However, Yoakam now reveals that their bond was far more complicated, blending deep admiration with rivalry and occasional tension.
Yoakam, who was born in Kentucky but moved to Los Angeles after struggling to find traction in Nashville, credits Owens’s unapologetically traditional Bakersfield sound—raw, honest, and twangy—as the foundation of his own musical philosophy. When Yoakam first emerged, bridging classic country with a punk rock edge, Owens was initially skeptical. “I think Buck thought I was just another kid trying to imitate him,” Yoakam recalled, noting that Owens had a hard time handing out respect easily.
This dynamic shifted dramatically in 1988 when Yoakam invited Owens to record a duet of “Streets of Bakersfield.” The collaboration was a major triumph for both artists, soaring to number one on the charts and giving Owens his first chart-topper in over 15 years. Yoakam recognizes the significance of that moment, stating, “That song brought Buck back into the spotlight… I think in some ways he needed that song as much as I did.”
Despite their professional success, Yoakam admits that their personal relationship was often turbulent. “Buck was a complicated man,” he explained. “He was funny, charming, and brilliant, but he could also be stubborn, and guarded.” Owens, having experienced betrayal in the music business and suffering the devastating loss of his closest collaborator, Don Rich, carried deep-seated pain. Yoakam often struggled with Owens’s aloof demeanor. “There were moments when I didn’t know where I stood with him,” he said. “One day he’d call me his friend and the next he’d pull away.”
Over time, Yoakam learned to understand that Owens’s gruff exterior was a shield, recognizing the loneliness that haunted the legend. The younger artist continued to honor Owens, frequently performing at Buck Owens’s Crystal Palace. These shows created legendary moments where Owens would sometimes join him on stage, filled with a proud and amused grin.
When Owens passed away in 2006, Yoakam felt the profound loss of “a friend, a mentor, and a piece of my own story.” Reflecting on their shared history, Yoakam concludes that Owens’s most enduring lesson was about artistic integrity. “Buck taught me that music isn’t about perfection. It’s about honesty. It’s about telling the truth even when it hurts.” It is this core truth that Yoakam continues to carry, ensuring the real spirit of the Bakersfield sound endures.