ARTIST: Dwight Yoakam 
TITLE: Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.
YEAR RELEASED: 1986
CHART ACTION: #61, #1 Country
SINGLES: Honky Tonk Man (#3 Country), Guitars, Cadillacs (#1 Country), It Won’t Hurt (#31 County)
OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: He covers Ring of Fire and Heartaches by the Number
LINEUP: Dwight Yoakam, Pete Anderson, JD Foster, Jeff Donavan, Brantley Kearns, Jay Dee Maness, Ed Black, David Mansfield, Gene Taylor, Glen D. Hardin
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: Young country singer and writer records a ‘throwback’ album that emulates but also updates, the 60’s Bakersfield honky tonk sound.
SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: Mainstream country music in the 80’s was just as empty and soulless as it is today. (Maybe it’s been that way since the 70’s?) Instead of the pop-country that was selling record execs, Yoakam went west to the LA / Bakersfield area successfully mined by his idol, Buck Owens.
His authentic singing and writing won him many fans out there – and not just country music fans. You can tell in this collection, expanded from his self-financed EP. He’s a great interpreter (“Honky Tonk Man”), but also an excellent writer. Plus, his singing is evocative, emotional and effective. His duet with Maria McKee on “Bury Me” is a highlight of the entire album.
Yoakam’s career took off after this album – proving that people want authentic, well-written music no matter what genre. It’s a lesson not learned in many music label offices.
NOTES & MINUTAE: His EP was self-financed, and won him a contract. Instead of re-recording it, he just used his EP cuts to supplement the album. It was a wise move.
IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: Yes, with demos and a 1986 live set.
GRADE: A: It’s a short (10-track) album that doesn’t have a true miss and several songs that should have been classics had Nashville embraced him like they should have.