Dwight Yoakam Hosts Benefit Concert for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

On Jan. 28, Dwight Yoakam hosted the charity concert, Dwight Yoakam & Friends: Rockin' for the Kids at The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles. The concert was to raise funds and awareness for pediatric care services and celebrate Children's Hospital Los Angeles' (CHLA) work with families in need. The event was inspired by Yoakam's own family experience during the pandemic.

Performances included musician partnerships and collaborations of musicians Charley Crockett, Lukas Nelson, Marcus King, Shooter Jennings, Grace Potter, and others. A high-quality fundraiser performance was held, blending classical music with new songs to showcase the community between country and Americana artists coming together to support a common goal. Willie Nelson was also part of the broader collaborative spirit highlighted during the evening.

Yoakam spoke directly about the emotional impact of touring the hospital and the lasting impression it left on him and his wife, Emily, after visiting CHLA with their son and witnessing the work of Dr. Mark Krieger and the hospital staff.

"When you walk the halls of a children's hospital, it changes you. It puts all of life in a very graphic perspective. As Emily and I were there with our own child, we saw so many families facing battles no one hopes to ever have to endure. And while we were fortunate to not face those challenges, that experience never left us. Rockin' for the Kids is our way of saying thank you to Dr. Krieger and the entire staff at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, on behalf of every family who puts their trust in them every single day," shared Yoakam.

"Anyway, I just wanted to say that for the Children's Hospital of L.A., this is a great thing that you are doing. I'm so happy that you all are doing… Thank you all for showing up for this cause, because that's what we're here for. We are here to help the future generation," he continued.

The night also included a notable moment involving Billy Bob Thornton. Thornton had been scheduled to join Yoakam onstage to perform "Sylvia's Mother," but travel disruptions prevented him from attending in person. During Yoakam's performance of "What Do You Know About Love," Thornton appeared via a delayed FaceTime call, explaining he was stranded in New Jersey due to an ice storm. Video footage captured the moment, as Thornton apologized for his absence, thanked attendees for their support, and acknowledged he was originally scheduled to appear with Yoakam and Mick G.