Kentucky Life unearths the Kentucky roots of singer and actor Dwight Yoakam and listens in on a performance in the next edition, airing Saturday, Sept. 8 at 8/7 p.m. CT and Sunday, Sept. 9 at 4:30/3:30 p.m. CT on KET1 and Sunday, Sept. 9 at 7/6 p.m. CT on KET2. Hosted by Dave Shuffett and his canine pal Charlie, the program also features waterfowl and obedience training for retriever dog breeds and a visit to a classic car collection in Elizabethtown.
Yoakam, a two-time Grammy winner with 21 nominations in the course of his career, has sold more than 23 million albums worldwide. He's also earned acclaim for dramatic roles, including the character of Doyle in Slingblade . He was born in Pikeville, but raised in Columbus, Ohio, where his stepfather worked in the automotive industry. In this segment, Yoakam performs live at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg and discusses his Kentucky roots. It also contains a rare interview with his mother, Ruth Ann.
Then, Dave and Charlie check out the retriever training program at Lodi Kennels in Paducah, where canine trainers Sally and Lloyd Moore train retrievers as waterfowl dogs. Dave and Charlie get lessons in obedience, and Charlie even takes a dip in the pond as part of his informal training.
Finally, Kentucky Life pauses in Elizabethtown to view a large collection of classic and antique cars at the Swopes Cars of Yesteryear Museum. Here you can see just about everything -- from a 1910 Hupmobile Runabout "horseless carriage" to a 1956 Thunderbird, one of the first real sports cars produced in America; a 1925 Pierce Arrow, the pride of presidents and princes; and a 1964 Chevrolet Impala 409 SS Convertible.
Kentucky Life is a KET production, produced by Joy Flynn. Producers for this program are Tom Thurman, Brandon Wickey, Treg Ward and Erin Lowry. Some Kentucky Life programs are now available for on-demand videostream viewing at www.ket.org/kentuckylife.