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Jake Owen Remembers Joe Diffie in Photo Taken 3 Years Ago Today

Less than two years after the passing of Joe Diffie, country singer and songwriter Jake Owen has taken to his Instagram to remember the best of times with the late singer.

In the post, which features him standing next to Diffie, Jake Owen stated, “3 years ago today with one of my country music heroes. Miss ya [Joe Diffie]. We all do.”

As previously reported, Diffie passed away in March 2020 due to complications caused by COVID-19. At the time, he was 61 years old. Diffie started his music career in the late 1980s. Better 1990 and 2004, Diffie charted a total of 35 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Five of those singles peaked at number one. The songs were, Home, If The Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets), Third Rock From the Sun. Pickup Man, and Bigger Than the Beatles. 

CMT also reported that prior to Diffie’s death, Jason Aldean recruited Jake Owen as well as Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Thomas Rhett, Lady A, Little Big Town, and Florida Georgia Line to perform the duo’s single 1994The single hit 10 and 14 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. It also reached number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

According to AP, Diffie was notably the first country star to go public with a COVID-19 diagnosis. He is survived by his wife, Tara Terpening Diffie, and seven children from his four marriages. 

Jake Owen Previously Shared Admiration For Joe Diffie 

In 2018, Jake Owen spoke with TC Palm about working alongside Joe Diffie. “From a young age, my parents always said surround yourself with people that are good people,” Owen explained. “For guys like Joe Diffie and Chris Lane and Morgan Wallen, they’re great people. And they’re doing the same thing that I am.”

Owen also held the Jake Owen Foundation benefit concert on December 8, 2018, at Vero Beach. The show featured Diffin and other artists. “We’ve always really wanted to grow this as much as possible. Because I feel like it’s great not only for the charitable aspect. But it’s great for the community and bringing a lot of people to town.”

The Jake Owen Foundation was established in 2010. It benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County, located in the  Treasure Coast region. Owen went on to add, “I never thought in a million years that I would be able to come back home and bring friends like that and put a great concert on and all at the same time raising a bunch of money for some really great causes.”