Country Music Star Joe Diffie Dies of Coronavirus Complications

From Country Living

• Grammy-winning country star Joe Diffie died Sunday due to complications from coronavirus. He was 61.

• Joe was best known for mid-1990s country hits, including "Pickup Man," "John Deere Green," and "If The Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)."

Country singer Joe Diffie passed away on Sunday, March 29, from complications related to COVID-19. Two days before his death, the 61 year-old Grand Ole Opry member released a statement revealing he had been diagnosed with coronavirus and was receiving treatment. "My family and I are asking for privacy at this time," he said. "We want to remind the public and all my fans to be vigilant, cautious and careful during this pandemic."

Joe was born in 1958 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and released his debut album, A Thousand Winding Roads, in 1990. Over the next several years, five of his singles reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, including hits like "Home," "Third Rock From the Sun," and "Bigger Than The Beatles." He received his first Grammy nomination in 1993 for "Not Too Much to Ask," a duet with Mary Chapin Carpenter, and later won the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration for "Same Old Train," with Patty Loveless, Randy Travis, and other artists.

Some of country music's biggest stars took to social media to mourn Joe's death, including Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, and Thomas Rhett.

Carrie she had "absolutely no words" to express the loss, adding, "The music and legacy he leaves behind are legendary."

Brad tweeted that he is "devastated by the loss of my friend."

Toby Keith hailed Joe as "a great traditional voice" and said his legacy will live on.

Keith Urban called Joe "the real deal."

And Thomas Rhett paid tribute to Joe with an Instagram post showing them performing onstage together.

"He was one of my country music idols," he said. "We played a few shows together back in the day. He was always so kind and encouraging...Rest In Peace brother ill see you again one day."

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