Remembering Joe Diffie

"I just lost my friend. I love him as a person and one of the GREATEST singers of all time. I've known Joe and did a lot of shows with him for thirty years. I will miss him for the rest of my life. I will pay tribute to my buddy at all my shows. I love you Joe" said Mark Chesnutt. 

Yesterday and throughout the night, the country music community came together overwhelmingly via social media after the devastating news that we had suddenly lost the irreplaceable Joe Diffie. Here is where I could make one of those compilation posts here of who all said something and what they had to say but I could be at that for months and still never include all of them. If you loved Joe they're not hard to find. Plus my heart could not take that. But for whatever it might be worth here's some words about him, a 20-second video of "John Deere Green" recorded by me in only October 2019 from Joe's sold-out show at The Nashville Palace, and a few special social media odds and ends of the many that may be lesser seen (because these are not collected from a press release). What an amazing, sweet, funny, wonderful person. He played the Opry soon after that Nashville Palace show. And he was working on new music. NOT just "a 90s artist" - yes, that was his heyday but he was so much more. What turned out to be his last single was co-written by Keith Burns (of Trick Pony fame) and the two were so excited to get it out there as Keith used to play bass in Joe's band. Joe had cut some of his others too. "I love you Joe Diffie and I will miss you," he said. "Till we meet again, hold a place in heaven for me." 

Cannot even begin to process this and don't want to have to. I can't imagine a world without Joe Diffie - I've never had to - usually when someone passes I turn the radio station when their song comes on but Joe just has too many damn good ones for that. We lost him TWO DAYS after news broke that he had contracted Coronavirus. TWO days. 

"Even though I've been doing this for a long time, it's like I want to pinch myself still. It's an awful neat deal to be able to live out your dream." - Joe Diffie (courtesy of the Opry)  

PLEASE. STAY INSIDE. USE CAUTION. BEAT THIS THING.

So help me Joe, you've gone too far. It's way too late to save my heart. But I can't help myself. So help this girl.
​-MC/TCC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr2YRMQDmzA

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The best way to honor someone is to remember what they dedicated a big part of their life to. Thoughts a prayers going his children and family...@officialjoediffie made his final journey “ home”.

A post shared by Terri Clark (@terriclarkmusic) on Mar 30, 2020 at 10:22am PDT

All the life lessons I ever needed were in Ships That Dont Come In. pic.twitter.com/MWYWE6qSED

— Dierks Bentley (@DierksBentley) March 30, 2020

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Remembering a great night of performing with @officialjoediffie at the @opry! My family and I send our deepest condolences to Joe’s family, friends and fans. One of the great traditional voices in country music history. #ripjoediffie

A post shared by Travis Tritt (@realtravistritt) on Mar 29, 2020 at 7:48pm PDT

  

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Here’s to an old friend that I’ll see again where there is no time, there’s just eternity.

A post shared by AndyGriggs (@officialandygriggs) on Mar 29, 2020 at 4:12pm PDT

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Beyond sad that our gentle talented Joe has passed on. I had a helpful cry this afternoon when I played our duet of Merle’s beautiful song “ Sing Me Back Home” . Joe and I came up at the same time singing demos in Nashville and playing out as much as possible. We both lucked out and I remember jumping for joy when he got his record deal. Lucky for all of us because he gave us so many real heartfelt country songs to keep us going even after he’s gone. RIP my dear loving friend. In case you wanna let it out: https://tinyurl.com/udorbf6

A post shared by Suzy Bogguss (@suzybogguss) on Mar 29, 2020 at 6:39pm PDT