Joe Diffie doesn't really have to work, at least not every day. That gives the Oklahoma-born country star the freedom to explore areas other artists can barely contemplate.
Well-established as a country star with almost two dozen top-10 hits to his credit, plus having penned hits for other artists, Diffie is finishing work on a bluegrass album. The move marks a return to the genre for Diffie, who before his country days was respected as a festival bluegrass performer. Diffie doesn't really have to depend on country music for his meals anymore.
"It's a nice option to have," said Diffie, who performs tonight at Soboba Casino. "I'm very versatile and I've had visions of doing all kinds of music."
Diffie's country chart history is nothing less than impressive, with numerous appearances on the singles charts including hits like "Ships That Don't Come In," "Pickup Man" and "Home." Through most of the '90s Diffie remained a regular hit-maker, even as Nashville started moving in a decidedly more rock-friendly sound.
Before his success as a performer, Diffie was an acknowledged songwriter who had already penned hits, such as the Hank Thompson tune "Love on the Rocks." Randy Travis - at the time a huge star - had also considered doing a Diffie song. At that point Diffie figured it was time to do the hit-making himself.
"I was always trying to be a performer," Diffie recalled, talking by telephone from the road. "Songwriting was a means to an end kind of thing. It was just a matter of catching a break and getting someone from a record label to notice you."
Songwriting continues to be lucrative for Diffie, who has penned hits for artists like Jo Dee Messina and Tim McGraw. Diffie said he still plans to do more country music but grants that he isn't sure he will still be embraced by contemporary country radio.
"It takes a label that wants to invest in you, and at my age, nobody's going to look at you," said Diffie, who turned 50 in December. "I've just resigned myself to that."
But Diffie still has a lot to say musically - and plenty of people still willing to listen. His bluegrass past is no secret, and his new label, Rounder, actually approached him about doing a bluegrass album. Rounder is considered one of the premiere distributors of traditional American music. That they approached Diffie was a decided boost.
"I had re-recorded my greatest hits and I just happened to contact Rounder and they discussed doing the bluegrass record," recounted Diffie. "I could've made and distributed it myself, but I just felt that Rounder gave me a lot of clout in that area because they do have a good reputation."
Bluegrass is mistaken for a branch of country music, but it is a separate, mostly acoustic genre of folk which does share some roots with country. Many artists, including ones that have successfully done both, will tell you the transition isn't always easy. Diffie, however, had no problems.
"It's like ridin' a bike, man. It all fell right into place, and it's just been a ton of fun, said Diffie. "Bluegrass takes some difficult musicianship. The guys in my bluegrass band are just stellar. It has to be. It's just four or five instruments and you singing. With country, there's all kinds of stuff you can hide behind."
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