It has been 34 years since Dwight Yoakam first stood on the stage of Country Night Gstaad. Now one of the defining figures of American country music is returning to the elegant holiday resort.
When he first performed in Gstaad in 1992, Country Night still looked rather different. The festival was only a few years old, the concerts took place in a tent near the Eggli — and Dwight Yoakam was in the middle of that phase of his career in which, with cowboy hat, skin-tight jeans and unmistakable twang, he became one of the most distinctive stars of the American country scene. Thirty-four years later, the circle closes. On 11 and 12 September 2026, Yoakam, who grew up in Kentucky, returns to Gstaad as headliner. The fact that the organisers have secured the now two-time Grammy winner for the 37th edition is more than a nostalgic look back. Yoakam is one of those musicians who have left their very own mark on country music. When he made his breakthrough in the mid-1980s, Nashville was dominated by an increasingly polished sound. Yoakam, by contrast, looked to the rougher Bakersfield Sound, which had emerged decades earlier in California as a counterpoint to the Nashville mainstream. Honky-tonk, rockabilly and a hefty dose of rock ’n’ roll became his trademark. Songs such as Guitars, Cadillacs, Little Ways and Fast as You made him known far beyond the traditional country scene.
Two Generations, One Passion
Just how lively the return to tradition currently is can also be seen in Drake Milligan. The Texan combines classic country with the self-assured stage presence that once defined early rock ’n’ roll. He names George Strait as a musical role model, as well as Elvis Presley — and his connection to the latter goes beyond music: before Milligan became known as a country singer, he portrayed the young Elvis in the American television series Sun Records and in the film Nobody. By now, the 28-year-old has long since stepped into his own spotlight. With his debut album Dallas/Fort Worth, he achieved his international breakthrough in 2022.
Back to the Roots
Appalachian Roadshow leads even deeper into the musical history of the United States. The acoustic ensemble is dedicated to the rich musical heritage of the Appalachians — the mountain region in the eastern United States where European, African-American and American musical traditions merged over generations. From this cultural melting pot emerged folk, old-time music and bluegrass, and with them some of the most important roots of what later became country music. The ensemble does not, however, treat this tradition as a museum piece. The musicians take up historic songs, reinterpret them and combine them with their own compositions. Thus the journey into the past becomes music that also holds its place in the present. Finally, Amber Rae creates a link between Switzerland and the United States. The daughter of an American mother and a Swiss father, the Winterthur native has been accompanied by country music since childhood. What began with her first own songs at the age of twelve led to her debut album Cowgirl Goodbye in 2024. In Gstaad, she will now appear on the Country Night stage for the first time, adding modern country-pop to the programme.
Country with History
Four acts, four different approaches — and a festival that can itself look back on a long history. Since 1989, Country Night has been bringing international stars and a Nashville atmosphere to Gstaad. When the legend Dwight Yoakam steps onto the stage of the chalet village once again in September, more than three decades will lie between his two appearances. The twang, however, is likely to remain unmistakable.
11 and 12 September 2026
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