Grand Ole Opry Member Spotlight: Joe Diffie

Grand Ole Opry Country Music Show - Nashville

Dierks Bentley - The Opry's Youngest Member

With a dozen albums spanning more than 14 years through the 1990s and 2000s, Joe Diffie has earned a place among Nashville's most prominent male vocalists. The Tulsa-born performer has made a career out of touching ballads and whimsical novelty songs alike, and his versatility in both sound and style have earned him a spot as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Background and Early Career

• Diffie was born December 28, 1958 in Tulsa, Oklahoma and grew up in Velma, Oklahoma, where he worked in an iron foundry by day while writing songs and playing local clubs at night. In 1986, Diffie moved to Nashville and landed a job at Gibson Guitar Corporation. While in Music City, the Oklahoma native continued writing songs that would go on to be hits for major artists like Alabama, Charley Pride, and Tracy Lawrence.
• Diffie captured attention for his vocal ability from industry executives when he began recording demo tracks for other artists, and his first album, A Thousand Winding Road, was released in 1990. That album produced hits like "Home," "If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)," and "New Way to Light Up an Old Flame." From then on, Diffie's career would spark a long journey that would see 17 Top 10 hits.

Grand Ole Opry Induction

• Joe Diffie was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on November 27, 1993, in the midst of the success of his third album, Honky Tonk Attitude.

Joe Diffie at the Opry

• Diffie continues to frequent the Grand Ole Opry stage, often with son Parker by his side providing backing vocals. To find out when Joe Diffie will be featured on the coveted Grand Ole Opry stage, please visit the VME Grand Ole Opry Blog.

Notable Hits

• "If The Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)"
• "Is It Cold In Here"
• "New Way (To Light Up An Old Flame)"
• "Ships That Don't Come In"
• "John Deere Green"
• "Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox (If I Die)"
• "Pickup Man"
• "Third Rock From The Sun"
• "So Help Me Girl"
• "This Is Your Brain"
• "Texas Size Heartache"
• "A Night To Remember"
• "It's Always Somethin'"
• "In Another World"
• "Tougher Than Nails"

More Information

• See the complete list of current Grand Ole Opry members!