Joe Diffie's Son Pens Emotional Letter on One-Year Anniversary of Losing His Dad to Coronavirus

The world lost an irreplaceable country music great when Joe Diffie died on March 29, 2020, from complications of the coronavirus. Now, one of Diffie's three sons—he has five children overall—captured some of the pain and heartache of losing their dad in a touching letter he wrote on the anniversary of his father's death and shared on Diffie's Facebook page. (The letter did not specify the son's name.)

"Today marks a tragedy that has shaken my family to it's core. 1 year ago today my father the late Joe Diffie passed away due to complications of the COVID-19 virus. A letter to Dad," the missive began.

"Hey Pops, It has been a while since we last spoke, but I talk to you every day. I know this sounds funny, but I know you are there and silently listening. I hope you see that I have tried my best to do all the right things to ensure that your family is taken care of. I hope that you smile when I stand at my kitchen counter and sing harmony through tears to every song you ever recorded and recall every moment of standing next to you on stage for all those years. I want you to know that I am so appreciative that I had the opportunity to spend 13 years on the road with you, I will cherish every second that I was able to spend on that bus with you," he wrote.

"We had so many great experiences traveling the country, I learned so much in that time spent with you. I miss the moments standing on stage and watching in awe as you consistently wowed the crowd with [your] talents, I miss hanging on the deck listening to you rattle off useless information that only Jeopardy contestants would know. I miss the late night texts talking about football and cooking, explaining every recipe and ingredient proudly, or just checking in or sending you my latest achievements so I could hear you say you were proud of me. I miss standing at your house and having a song pop in your head and have you sing and change the words just to make us laugh. I miss watching you light up every time your grandchildren walked In to the room. Mostly I miss you. You are and will for ever [sic] be my hero and I will work hard to ensure that your music and legacy continues to touch people and can live on through your family," the moving note concluded, with the sign-off, "I love you Pops, Your son."

Comments poured in to the moving note with fans chiming in with everything from first-hand memories like, "Between interviews, shows and backstage / bus visits, I spent a considerable amount of time with your Dad over the decades. Great guy. Always fun to talk / hang with. Miss him and his music. Happy to remember him today and play his music often..." to words of comfort such as, "Thank you for sharing your wonderfully talented father with the rest of us. He is loved, revered and missed."

We know we'll be listening to Diffie's Honk Tonk Attitude on repeat today. Join us, dear readers?