When you talk about Joe Diffie there are a number of things that come to mind. We all know that very sadly he died early in the pandemic and that was heartbreaking for me and for many, as he was one of the first celebrities to pass away from the disease. Too young for that. But when I think of Joe Diffie now, I am thankful we have his great music to remember him by. And we should remember him - as he was a truly terrific country singer. It also turns out he would end up being exceedlingly influential to many of today's biggest stars. His career reminds me of John Anderson of the 1980's in that regard.
His First Single And A #1
His run on the country charts was very successful. Even though it was not as long as others, he became a legend to many. He entered the fray during country's biggest decade where the competition was fierce, but Diffie was a contender and held his own. I will not ever downplay his great success, but more than likely in a slightly different era, he would have been even bigger than he was. He was among the first "mullet men" with his look and style, and he was just a dude. I feel a whole lot of Diffie's appeal was how he looked, sang, the songs he chose, and the way presented himself, he reminded listeners of - themselves - or at least someone they knew well. And that turned out to be a big deal.
Also From His First Album #1
JD was very well known for his fun songs but it all began with a little song called, Home. It was a heartfelt song that was his first release and big hit, going #1 in 1990. He would make it to number one 5 total times, and being fair, there should have been more, as he was consistently an artist in the top ten for the next number of years. But JD's rise to the top of the charts was not an easy one and he was a poster dude for paying your dues.
This Song Was A Fan Favorite
Diffie was a demo singer in the 80's, all the while trying to be a song writer as well. Finally he got his own record deal and things changed. As good as his recording career was, his career as a composer was on par with his singing. He wrote or co-wrote songs for some of the biggest names in country at the time including a big hit for the late Holly Dunn, Tim McGraw, JoDee Messina and many others. He also was part of many other honored collaborative projects that were very well received.
Another #1
His Signature Song #1
All of that not too bad for a great high school athlete, who later worked in the oil fields of this native Oklahoma. He also was a truck driver, and word is he had the grades to go to medical school, but in the end it was country music that won the day for him. From my seat, those experiences were the ones that shaped the "every guy" image that served him very well. Because he was the every guy, there was no faking it. Diffie was as real as they came - being married multiple times with multiple children. One of them, a son was born with special needs and inspired Diffie to seek out some exceptionally powerful songs during his career.
Like This One - What A GREAT Song
And to me, that was the Diffie magic. Yes, he could sing the fun, sometimes silly party songs, but the poignant, or powerful songs is where Diffie really shined. His versatility was enviable and his song range was as wide as anyone. I loved hearing Joe Diffie sing a country song. With Joe passing and time marching on, it's hard to explain today how popular he was with so many. Listeners loved his music, and they loved who he was. As much as any artist of his time, his outward persona and image drove his popularity, and by singing songs from the underdog perspective and living musically in the same world as the people who bought his albums and concert tickets.
How This Was Not A #1 Is Beyond Me
Joe Diffie - A very different kind of star during Country's biggest decade - that in itself - was a very different kind of time. He was right on time.
This Is The Diffie Stuff I Like Best
This Is An Incredible Country Song
Well done Joe, well done. - Joe Logan Diffie 1958-2020
