HARDY’s latest album, ‘Hixtape 3: Difftape,’ is a heartfelt tribute to the late Country legend Joe Diffie, featuring covers of his most iconic songs performed alongside modern country artists. Scheduled for release on March 29, 2024, via Big Loud Records in collaboration with the Diffie estate, ‘Difftape’ coincides with the fourth anniversary of Diffie’s passing and promises to be a poignant homage to his enduring legacy.
The album opens with ‘John Deere Green,’ a barroom anthem featuring HARDY and Morgan Wallen, evoking nostalgic summer nights and small-town romances. With infectious energy and catchy melodies, this track sets the tone for the rest of the album, showcasing HARDY’s seamless collaboration with fellow artists and Joe Diffie’s long-lasting and impactful effect on Country music.
On ‘Pickup Man,’ HARDY teams up with Post Malone to deliver a rollicking rendition of Diffie’s classic hit, infused with fiddles, guitars, and playful piano arrangements. The track exudes charm and charisma, highlighting the unexpected synergy between the two artists. If we’re talking about synergy then let’s throw ‘Ships That Don’t Come In” into the mix. This song sees Toby Keith and Luke Combs joining forces with Joe Diffie for a poignant ballad that pays homage to soldiers, sailors, dreamers and the lost alike. The heartfelt lyrics and soulful vocals create a touching tribute to Diffie’s enduring impact on country music and also make you realise how clever and impactful lyrics were in the 90s and how facile and one-dimensional they can be now. Oh for the days of third person storytelling and touchstones that go beyond small towns, friday nights, girls, beer and hunting. It also carries double the poignancy in the wake of Toby Keith’s recent passing too.
Elsewhere, ‘Third Rock From The Sun’ channels the energy of ’90s country with Blake Shelton and Brooks & Dunn, delivering an uptempo guitar romp reminiscent of Garth Brooks’ ‘Ain’t Going Down Til the Sun Comes Up.’ This lively track captures the essence of Diffie’s music, blending nostalgia with contemporary flair.
Other standout tracks include ‘Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox (If I Die),’ featuring Tracy Lawrence and Lainey Wilson, and ‘Bigger Than The Beatles,’ featuring Jon Pardi and Old Dominion. Both songs pay homage to Diffie’s unique sound while infusing it with fresh energy and modern sensibilities. There is energy in spades across this unique album. Tracks like ‘New Way (To Light Up an Old Flame), ‘’C-O-U-N-T-R-Y’ and ‘Honky Tonk Attitude’ are literally fizzing and crackling with it. Luke Bryan channels his classic cover of ‘Run Run Rudolph’ on the latter with 50s leaning rock n roll and honky tonk pianos abound whilst ’C-O-U-N-T-R-Y’ is an uptempo, bombastic bar room song featuring a good-timing son of a gun espousing southern life and old fashioned masculinity in a bombastic yet kind of sweet, harmless way, replete with a glorious guitars and fiddle solo. Similarly, Randall King brings his Texan class to ‘New Way (To Light Up an Old Flame), alongside Sammi Kershaw, in a way that will make you want to sing and dance from the get-go!
Where the DiffTape really excels is on the male / female duets, which literally fizzle with emotions and evocative storytelling. Throw in some classic 90s pianos, some 50s leaning Rock ‘n’ Roll guitar and some plaintive fiddles and tracks like ‘Is It Cold in Here’ and ‘A Night to Remember’ stand head and shoulders above the others in terms of impact. The former, sees newcomer Jake Worthington dueting with the iconic Reba McEntire on a song about a relationship sinking fast. Reba’s vocals, both as backing singer and as lead, combined with Worhtington’s rich, earthy tones weave a magic spell that pulls you into the story of their troubles: and the chorus is a nothing short of an anthemic delight. ‘A Night to Remember’ meanwhile, sees Lauren Watkins and Kameron Marlowe awash with misery, apart and yearning for each other. It’s got big 90s vibes, piano flourishes and diva-style ambitions as both singers play with the double meaning of the title in evocative and emotional ways.
The album culminates with the previously unreleased original track, ‘Life Had Plans For Me,’ featuring HARDY and Joe Diffie’s son, Parker. With its poignant lyrics and heartfelt vocals, this song serves as a fitting tribute to Diffie’s enduring legacy and the impact of his music on generations to come. It’s strong message, that life has it’s own plans for you, no matter what you may have in mind, is one we can all learn from and feels particularly poignant on the fourth anniversary of Joe Diffie’s death. Speaking about the record, Parker Diffie said, ““It is both an honour and a humbling experience to have been asked to participate in this extraordinary project. As someone who had the profound privilege of performing alongside my father, it fills my heart with immense joy to witness his enduring legacy continued with the same passion and fervor that he embodied.”
Overall, HARDY’s ‘DiffTape’ is a heartfelt and nostalgic homage to Joe Diffie, showcasing the timeless appeal of his music and the enduring influence he continues to have on the country genre. With its stellar lineup of artists and infectious energy, this album is sure to resonate with fans old and new alike. Kudos to HARDY for assembling such a stellar line up of guests and collaborators on an album that will not only make you realise just how important Joe Diffie was to Country music but will also make you yearn for the glory days of the 90s – when storytelling drove Country music and the hair, choruses and ambitions of the genre were super-sized and super relatable. They don’t make ’em like they used to anymore, right?
Tracklist: 1. John Deere Green (Joe Diffie, Morgan Wallen & HARDY) 2. Pickup Man (Joe Diffie, Post Malone) 3. Ships That Don’t Come In (Joe Diffie, Toby Keith & Luke Combs) 4. Third Rock From The Sun (Joe Diffie, Blake Shelton, HARDY & Brooks & Dunn) 5. Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox (If I Die) (Joe Diffie, Tracy Lawrence, Lainey Wilson & The Difftones) 6. Bigger Than The Beatles (Joe Diffie, Jon Pardi & Old Dominion) 7. Honky Tonk Attitude (Joe Diffie, Luke Bryan & Randy Houser) 8. Is It Cold In Here (Joe Diffie, Reba McEntire & Jake Worthington) 9. Texas Size Heartache (Joe Diffie, Clint Black & Larry Fleet) 10. Home (Joe Diffie, Darius Rucker & Hailey Whitters) 11. C-O-U-N-T-R-Y (Joe Diffie, Aaron Tippin & ERNEST) 12. So Help Me Girl (Joe Diffie, Mark Wills & Nate Smith) 13. New Way (To Light Up An Old Flame) (Joe Diffie, Randall King & Sammy Kershaw) 15. If The Devil Danced In Empty Pockets (Joe Diffie, Jack Ingram & Koe Wetzel) 16. A Night To Remember (Joe Diffie, Lauren Watkins & Kameron Marlowe) 17. In Another World (Joe Diffie, Chris Young) 18. Life Had Plans For Me (Joe Diffie, HARDY & Parker Diffie) Record Label: Big Loud Release Date: March 29th Buy ‘Hixtape 3: DiffTape’ right here
This article contains an affiliate link. Purchases through this link may result in us earning a commission.
