See Ya, Joe

Jeff and I had hoped our first Midweek Muttering would be something akin to what we normally do and less like a Big Deal. Alas, we don’t always get to pick the news. Instead our first Midweek Muttering is really a Midweek Memorial.

If you haven’t heard, Joe Diffie passed away on March 29, 2020 at the age of 61 from complications due to COVID-19.

When Jeff told me about Mr. Diffie’s passing, I promptly proceeded to fact-check him. I didn’t think he was jerking my chain; I was in disbelief.

If you aren’t familiar with Joe or his music, he was, in my humble opinion one of the greats of the 1990s country music scene. He…well, the Editor’s Notes from the Joe Diffie Essentials Playlist on Apple Music sums him up as a musician pretty well:

“Joe Diffie was a country artist’s country artist, the kind of singer-songwriter whose clever, plainspoken lyrics wind up as tattoos after one too many cold beers. His career took off in the ‘90s, when he sent hit after hit to country radio, in addition to writing tunes for the likes of Tim McGraw and Jo Dee Messina. Best known for his jaunty novelty songs, the Oklahoma native was equally adept at writing thoughtful ballads that showcased the rich character of his vocals.”

When the editor says “jaunty novelty songs” they aren’t kidding. Some of Joe’s best known songs are “John Deere Green” (I bet there’s more than one small town water tower out there with a bright green declaration of love on it), “Third Rock From the Sun,” “Pickup Man,” “If the Devil Danced (in Empty Pockets),” and, of course, “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die).” Deserving just as much credit as these are “Home,” “It’s Always Something,” “Is It Cold in Here,” and “Ships That Don’t Come In,” an eye-waterer about surviving the hard times and appreciating our good fortune.

Joe had some pretty stiff competition during his heyday. There were a few artists you might have heard of all around him on the charts. Folks like Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Brooks & Dunn, Travis Tritt, Mark Chesnutt, Clint Black, John Michael Montgomery, and the king himself, George Strait.

Joe was pumping out the hits during a pivotal time in my life. I was a young 20-something Sailor stationed in Norfolk, VA aboard USS Austin. I spent most of my free nights at the coolest country bar in the Tidewater area of Virginia: The Banque. I spent those nights drinkin’ beer, shootin’ tequila, chasing pretty girls, and generally having a hell of a good time with two fellas I’m still friends with today. One you know pretty well, Jeff, the brains behind these shenanigans, and James, who made an appearance on our Veteran’s Day Big Deal. I spent the rest of the day listening to Joe and reminiscing.

Thanks, Joe, for being a big part of the soundtrack to one of the best and most important periods in my life. I know you’ll be missed.

May you rest in peace and may light perpetual shine upon you.

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