HARDY tapped some of today’s biggest country stars for his tribute to Joe Diffie, HIXTAPE VOL. 3: DIFFTAPE. He worked with the late hitmaker’s estate to acquire the masters for Diffie’s original vocal tracks. Then, he re-recorded 17 of his biggest hits with artists like Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, and more. The result is a collection of performances that bridges the gap between the height of ‘90s country and the country music of today.
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On the album, Wilson teams up with Tracy Lawrence for “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die)” on the album. It’s a perfect example of what brought so many fans to Diffie’s music and why so many of his songs landed in the top ten on the country charts. The song confronts the heavy topic of death and how one will be remembered. At the same time, it does so with Diffie’s fun-loving honky tonk attitude.
Lainey Wilson and Tracy Lawrence Bridge the Gap on This Joe Diffie Classic
Wilson and Lawrence are the perfect duo to take up Diffie’s torch on this song. On one hand, Lawrence had several hits in the 90s and early 2000s with songs like “Alibis,” “Time Marches On,” and “Today’s Lonely Fool.” While not the most fun one can have on a radio dial, Lawrence recorded and released some top-notch traditional country songs. On the other hand, Wilson steps to the microphone with attitude and has just as many incredibly fun and upbeat songs as she has serious and contemplative tunes. As a result, their pairing becomes another example of bridging a gap that ticks all of the boxes.
Listen to them take on this 90s banger below.
More About “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die)”
Rick Blaylock, Kerry Williams, and Howard Perdew co-wrote the song. Joe Diffie released it as the second single from his 1993 album Honky Tonk Attitude. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, bringing Diffie yet another top ten hit.
In the music video, a couple of guys prop their dead friend up beside the jukebox in their favorite bar. When closing time comes around, he’s still there. That propped-up corpse appeared in multiple Joe Diffie videos over the years. Eagle-eyed viewers will see him in the videos for “Third Rock from the Sun,” “Pickup Man,” and “Bigger than the Beatles.”
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