Dwight Yoakam chatted with fans at the Bakersfield Biscuit site on March 16, 2000.  Unfortunately, the chat was not recorded.   So, from memory,  we put together a re-creation of the chat.   It isn't exact quotes in most cases, but it captures the gist of what was said.

Q:  How did you become involved with Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch?

DWIGHT:  Through my friend, Kinky Friedman.  I'd donated in the past and was  asked to play this year.
 

Q:  How long have you had your hat?

DWIGHT:  I've had it for about 20 years.
 

Q:  Who designs your clothes?

DWIGHT:  I design all my own stagewear.   Manuel used to, but now I design them and we work with his lead tailor.
 

Q:  What material was going to be on the acoustic album, old material, new 
or a combination of both?

DWIGHT:   It will include songs from my entire catalog.  It's tentatively scheduled to be released in May.
 

Q:  Are  you going to make a pure gospel album?

DWIGHT:  Pete and I have discussed it but  there are no plans to do one.   We do have a lot of material  and I did Traveler's Lantern on my last album which is a gospel song.
 

Q:  Have you ever been to Graceland?

DWIGHT: I've been to Graceland twice--Priscilla & Sam Phillips gave me a personal tour. Elvis was a big influence on me and it was a pleasure  to meet these people who had such an influence on him.
 

Q:  Are you going to be doing any more video compilations?

DWIGHT:  We've done a couple and there is a Dwight Live video.
 

Q:  What was the painting used in the liner notes on the Gone album?

DWIGHT:  That was an abstract by Hans Burkhardt called Untitled from the Armand Hammer museum here in LA.    I own some paintings by him and featured his work--he's an abstract expressionist.  He relocated here to LA to be accepted and was very underrated.  The painting had a lot to do with the album being called Gone.
 

Q:  Do you like classical music?

DWIGHT:  Yes.  I'm not as literate in that genre, but I do enjoy classical music, mainly Bach, Handel and chamber music.  I listen to a broad range of things.
 

Q:  Can you tell us when will we see "South of Heaven, West of Hell," and what it's about?

DWIGHT:  It's an esoteric Western.  It doesn't have a distributor yet.
 

Q:    I can't wait to see SOHWOH.  Do you think you'll direct again someday on that large a scale?  Are you "hooked" now?

DWIGHT:  I would like to again, but hope the next project won't be plagued with as many problems.
 

Q:  I loved your book, and see that you are writing a couple of  novels.   Can you tell us about them?

DWIGHT:  I hope to have a novelization of "South of Heaven, West of Hell" out by the end of the year, and may also write one based on Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room.   I've also written a western screenplay called "Teach Me to Waltz."  We may make them available on the site.
 

Q:  How do you get your pants on?

DWIGHT:  One leg at a time.
 

Q:   Did you play the part of Charlie Brown in an childhood play at school?

DWIGHT:  Yes, I got the part of Charlie Brown in a  junior high play because I fell the best when Lucy took the ball away!
 

Q:  Do you ever get back to Kentucky?

DWIGHT:  I visit my dad in Louisville and like to go to Jenny Wiley State Park.
 

Q:  Do you get nervous doing talk shows like Jay Leno?

DWIGHT:  No, I've been on the Tonight Show about 20 times over the  years--Jay makes people very comfortable.   I forgot to mention when I was on with Johnny Carson that we have the same birthday.  We do Letterman, and I had a lot of fun on The Daily Show.
 

Q:   Was that where you talked about the history of cowboy boots?

DWIGHT:   Yeah, we went into how boots are designed to address the stirrup 
and a few things.
 

Q:   I've heard you are a television addict.  Do you watch a lot of television?

DWIGHT:   I'm an info junkie and watch CNN a lot.  Also Nick at Nite--mostly Honeymooners.
 

Q:  Do you like bullriding?

DWIGHT:  I like to stay as far away as possible!
 

Q:  What is the significance of Darryl?

DWIGHT:  He's a character in a post-apocalyptic series of videos we were going to do.   I named him Darryl because I had several friends at the time named Darryl.
 

Q:  Do you like coming to Michigan?

DWIGHT:  Yes, I always have a good time there.  And two of my bandmembers are from Detroit.
 

Q:  Are you a packrat?

DWIGHT:  I save a lot of things, but I weed through them from time to time.   I like to think of myself as an orderly packrat.
 

Q:  What do you think of the Dog Bone?

I'm happy with the Dog Bone, I like to record there. 
 

Q:  Are there any places in Columbus that you remember fondly from your childhood?

DWIGHT:  I used to live on Renwood Street, and there was a pizza place we used to go to on Sinclair Road where I used  hang out.
 

Q:  How many horses do you have?

DWIGHT:  We used to have about 22 but we've reduced the stock, now we're running about 7.  Five mares and two stallions.
 

Q:  Do you like NASCAR races? Did you have a good time at the race?  Do you 
race?

DWIGHT:  We did until it started raining.  I still have my Viper, but I don't race it--don't want to wreck it!

I've got to go now.   Thanks for chatting!