Throwback Thursday: Joe Diffie

I got the idea for this week's Throwback Thursday video when I heard that three country legends were coming to the Sioux Falls Arena.  Dairy farmers are inviting country music fans to the Central Plains Dairy Expo and a concert featuring Aaron Tippen, Sammy Kershaw and Joe Diffie.

After reading that, I had some mixed feelings about seeing this line-up.

First, I was excited!  One of my first radio jobs was at a radio station in Austin, Minnesota.  KAUS FM-100 was a 100,000 watt country station that stretched across portions of Minnesota and into Iowa. I will never forget the day that my Program Director, Marv, came into the studio and told me that I was going to get to meet and introduce Joe Diffie at the fair in Albert Lea, Minnesota.  I was terrified!  I was fairly new to the radio world, and Joe Diffie was (at that time) an "up and comer" country artist.  And I got to meet him!  I was actually playing this man's songs on the radio, and now....I'm going to sit with him, interview him and then introduce him on-stage!

The interview probably wasn't what Mr. Diffie was expecting.  Remember...I was new to all this.  I think the majority of my questions were about OTHER country artists.  He was probably thinking...."Yup....first timer!"

I managed to get through the night, but I would just like to publicly thank Joe Diffie for not laughing at me.....at least to my face.

So because he is coming to the Sioux Falls Arena, and because he helped make me more confident...both publicly and in my love of country music....I have chosen my favorite Joe Diffie song for my Throwback Thursday pick.  From his 'Third Rock From The Sun' album, and released in 1994, 'Pickup Man' was Joe Diffie's longest-lasting Number One hit, spending four weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts between December 1994 and January 1995.

Oh, the second reason why I had mixed feelings about him coming to the Arena?  Simple.  He's now labeled as a country legend.  Does that mean.....I'm officially OLD?  Anyway...enjoy 'Pickup Man' by Joe Diffie!