By DEB EVERTS

news@bradfordera.com

SALAMANCA, N.Y.

— Country music legend Dwight Yoakam is bringing his ‘Cosmic Roundup & Rodeo’ tour to the Seneca Allegany Event Center at 7 p.m. Saturday. With special guests, The Mavericks, the concert is sure to be a powerhouse performance that fans of all ages won’t want to miss.

With his distinct brand of West Coast honkytonk, punk and rockabilly, Yoakam kicked off his spring/summer tour Feb. 6. His last album, ‘Swimmin Pools, Movie Stars…,’ was released in 2016. ‘Brighter Days,’ his first new album in nine years, was released in November on Via Records/Thirty Tigers.

Leading up to the recent release, he unveiled three new songs, ‘I’ll Pay The Price,’ ‘Wide Open Heart’ and ‘I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom),’ with Post Malone.

Known as a maverick his entire career, the

Yoakam… page A-8

Country music superstar Dwight Yoakam and special guests, The Mavericks, will perform at the Seneca Allegany Event Center at 7 p.m. Saturday. Together, they will bring on a powerhouse performance.

Provided 68-year-old singer-songwriter is fittingly touring with The Mavericks. The group is an American country music band formed in Miami that combines Tex-Mex, neo-traditional country music, Latin and rockabilly influences with hits like “Dance the Night Away.” Band members include Raul Malo, vocals and guitar; Paul Deakin, drums; Jerry Dale McFadden, keyboards and vocals; and Eddie Perez, lead guitar and vocals.

Yoakam found a new way to explore his signature sound on his self-produced “Brighter Days.” The album is the result of a series of personal and professional changes in his life. He told Billboard that the collection was largely inspired by his family, particularly his wife, Emily Joyce, and their son, Dalton. The album’s title track was inspired by an affectionate moment with his son, whom Yoakam gives a co-writing credit.

Born in October 1956 in the coal mining community of Pikeville, Ky., Yoakam’s family moved soon after to Columbus, Ohio, where he was raised. He spent his formative years acting in theater productions and singing and playing guitar in local garage bands. After a brief stint in Nashville, he relocated to Los Angeles in 1978, where he created his own brand of honkytonk – or, as he called it, “hillbilly” music.

The California-based singer, songwriter and recording artist became recognized for his distinctive interpretation of the Bakersfield Sound. He is one of country music’s best-selling artists of the 1980s and ‘90s. His credits include the 1994 Grammy Award-winning recording “Ain’t That Lonely Yet.”

The 21-time nominated, multiple Grammy Award winner has sold over 26 million albums worldwide, with five reaching the No. 1 spot on Billboard. He has achieved 12 Gold albums and nine Platinum or multi-Platinum albums.

Yoakam has been the recipient of several awards, including Artist of the Year from the Americana Music Association, the prestigious BMI Country Awards’ President’s Award and has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He received Lifetime Achievement honors at the 2024 Americana Music Awards.

The country music superstar has collaborated with everyone from Beck to Kid Rock, ZZ Top to Hunter S. Thompson and Jack White. He has toured with the likes of Buck Owens, Johnny Cash and Hüsker Dü.

Yoakam’s talents go beyond his musical career. He has appeared in more than 40 feature films, including “Sling Blade,” “Panic Room” and Steven Soderbergh’s “Logan Lucky” as well as a role in the Amazon series, “Goliath.”

Tickets may be purchased online at senecaalleganycasino. com, ticketmaster. com or in person at The Logo Shop inside the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino.