‘Quick spell of heat exhaustion’ forces Dwight Yoakam to end Railbird set early Sunday
Dwight Yoakam, the pride of Pikeville who returned to Kentucky and the stage at the Railbird Festival on Sunday, ended his show early, to the disappointment and concern of fans.
Those who stood in the rain to hear the Grammy-winning singer told the Herald-Leader Yoakam exited the stage not long after his performance began, saying he was overheated and dehydrated. He returned a few minutes later.
From the stage, Yoakam said, “In 38 years, this is the second time I had to walk off stage. I thought I was going to pass out,” a fan told the Herald-Leader.
But just two songs after he returned, the 67-year-old Yoakam left for good, ending his set about 10 minutes early.
Around 7:45 pm, Yoakam took to X to give an “all-clear” to his fans.
“Dwight would like to thank all the fans at Railbird for braving the elements with him this afternoon. With the combination of heat and humidity, Dwight had a quick spell of heat exhaustion but he is absolutely fine and appreciates the fans singing along to help carry him through to the end of his set!
“And thank you to the Railbird staff and EMTs for the quick response and the all clear!”
Sunday’s weather was unseasonably cool with a steady drizzle throughout the day and an occasional downpour.
Yoakam played Friday night in Washington, D.C., with the Mavericks, the country band from Miami. He was scheduled to perform Saturday in Bristol, Tennessee, at the Pines Festival.
Railbird goers, many donning rain jackets and ponchos, crowded the stage to hear Yoakam’s unique blend of honky-tonk, country rock, bluegrass and the Bakersfield sound he sharpened with country legend Buck Owens in California.
This story will be updated.
This story was originally published June 2, 2024 at 7:29 PM.
