Joe Diffie Releases Statement After Testing Positive for Coronavirus

Joe Diffie announced on Friday that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and shared a statement updating fans on his condition. The 61-year-old revealed that he is receiving treatment and is asking for privacy.

"I am under the care of medical professionals and currently receiving treatment. My family and I are asking for privacy at this time," Diffie said. "We want to remind the public and all my fans to be vigilant, cautious and careful during this pandemic."

Diffie found success in country music in the '90s and is known for songs including "Pickup Man," "Home" and "Third Rock from the Sun." He earned five No. 1 singles and 12 others that reached the Top 10. In 1998, he won the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for "Same Old Train" (with Marty Stuart et al.) and was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1993. Diffie has also written songs for a number of other artists including Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina and Conway Twitty.

The Oklahoma native has also influenced a new generation of stars and has even received musical shoutouts from artists like Jason Aldean ("1994") and Chris Young ("Raised On Country").

Diffie is the first country artist to publicly share that they have tested positive for COVID-19. There are currently over 97,000 confirmed cases of the virus in the United States, the most of any country, and over 585,000 worldwide. Over 26,000 deaths have been reported worldwide.

The pandemic has effectively halted a number of industries including the music industry, which has postponed and canceled concerts and festivals as the virus began to spread.

Photo Credit: Crystal K. Martel