Dwight Yoakam to celebrate birthday with record release

Multiple Grammy® Award winner and entertainer Dwight Yoakam is set to release Dwight Sings Buck, on his birthday, October 23, 2007, from New West Records. The one of a kind new album celebrating and honoring his friend and mentor Buck Owens, features the emotional first single, “Close Up The Honky Tonks.” The video for this single, which was directed by Fred Durst, can be seen on CMT and GACTV. Dwight Sings Buck is also available as a Limited Edition 180 gram vinyl record.
In support of the album, Yoakam will perform on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on October 19th and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on November 2nd. Yoakam will also appear on the 41st annual CMA Awards which airs live on ABC November 7th.
Yoakam and Owens had a profound initial musical connection that turned into a life-long friendship. Yoakam demonstrates the enormous amount of love and respect he has for his friend with this special album honoring Owens’ legacy and showcasing his many hits.
According to All Music Guide, “Yoakam's love for these anthems is palpable in every track. He doesn't set out to imitate Owens' style or delivery, but he does capture the essence of each song, playing them as Buck intended: no frills, no foolin' around…”
Coinciding with his new album, Yoakam has re-launched his official web site www.dwightyoakam.com .
As part of this re-launch, Yoakam will debut The Route 23 Club (www.route23club.com), a new fan club site offering exclusive access to Yoakam content – including news, pictures, video, audio, desktop wallpapers, buddy icons and special "behind the scenes" footage. The sites' "Interact" section includes a members-only discussion board, where fans can communicate with each other, members of Yoakam's management team – and even Yoakam himself. Additionally, the club will feature exclusive monthly contests – with prizes including signed merchandise, tour meet & greets with Yoakam and concert tickets.
Membership to the Route23 Club -- which refers to the road out of Yoakam’s hometown of Pikeville, KY -- is priced at $23 per year. The site launches soon at both www.dwightyoakam.com and www.route23club.com.
In celebration of Dwight Sings Buck Yoakam will post personal photos with Buck on the new site as well as special archival footage of his earliest appearance on Hee Haw – the television show which Buck co-hosted for 16 years. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the album will be donated by Dwight Yoakam and New West Records to the “Buck Owens American Music Foundation” a charity devoted to the preservation of the Bakersfield sound and the Buck Owens legacy.

Dwight Sings Buck Track Listing:
My Heart Skips A Beat
Foolin’ Around
I Don’t Care (Just As Long As You Love Me)
Only You
Act Naturally
Down On The Corner Of Love
Cryin’ Time
Above And Beyond
Love’s Gonna Live Here
Close Up The Honky Tonks
Under Your Spell Again
Your Tender Loving Care
Excuse Me (I Think I’ve Got A Heartache)
Think Of Me
Together Again
For more information on Dwight Yoakam, including message boards, tour dates and more, please visit www.newwestrecords.com and www.dwightyoakam.com.