Joe Diffie Steel Man

J.T. Durham · Post by **J.T. Durham** » 3 Mar 2009 7:07 am

Anyone out there Know if Joe Diffie has a steel man that travels with him? If so who he may be??
He is coming to my home town soon. I will go see him if he has.
J.T.

Larry King · Post by **Larry King** » 3 Mar 2009 8:55 am

As of October 2008 he had Terry Crisp. By all means , do not miss Terry....he is absolutely worth the ticket price on his own.

J.T. Durham · Post by **J.T. Durham** » 3 Mar 2009 11:29 am

Thanks Larry, I guess I'll go, I Am sure he has a good show. Thanks for the Information.
J.T.

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 3 Mar 2009 12:03 pm

J.T.

Just played the steel show in Saluda with Terry and he is working for Joe Diffie!

He will blow your mind man! Ya shoulda seen him do Hwy 40 Blues! He absolutly killed it!!!

He jammed with us until almost 12:00 midnight! Super nice guy!!

km

J.T. Durham · Post by **J.T. Durham** » 3 Mar 2009 12:26 pm

Thanks Kenny, Sounds good to me, I hope he is with Joe When he comes to West Plains, Mo. I'll be sure and go see him.
J.T.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 3 Mar 2009 1:52 pm

I'm not a big country music fan, but I'd go a fair way to watch Joe Diffie sing - one of the best-ever, in my opinion. Having a steel player as good as Terry would just be icing on the cake!

Tommy Shown · Post by **Tommy Shown** » 3 Mar 2009 3:24 pm

I met Terry back in the 90's when he was with Ricky Skaggs, at the Greater Baton Rouge State Fair.He took some time and talked with about the steel and playing after the show. In my opinion, he's truly a great person. That is one person who realizes the fan is what it's all about.
Tommy Shown

James Jacoby · Post by **James Jacoby** » 4 Mar 2009 7:20 am

Went to one of his shows, a few years ago. I kept hearing a steel, but could'nt see one. He had his regular guitar player, and a keyboard player, so I assumed, the key player had some gadget to make the keys sound like a steel. It didn't sound fake at all. I could see the whole stage, from where I was sittng. Everything sounded perfect. It was a great show, at a fair in southern Ohio.----Jake Jacoby

J.T. Durham · Post by **J.T. Durham** » 4 Mar 2009 6:01 pm

J.T. Durham wrote: Anyone out there Know if Joe Diffie has a steel man that travels with him? If so who he may be??
He is coming to my home town soon. I will go see him if he has.
J.T.

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 4 Mar 2009 9:34 pm

JT. I feel sure Terry will be there if Joe's bringing a band? I assum he is. However to be sure. E-mail Terry's cousin Brett Crisp. He is a member here. This should be a link to Brett's profile. You can click E-mail from there...
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/profile. ... ile&u=6775

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 4 Mar 2009 11:07 pm

James Jacoby wrote:Went to one of his shows, a few years ago. I kept hearing a steel, but could'nt see one. He had his regular guitar player, and a keyboard player, so I assumed, the key player had some gadget to make the keys sound like a steel. It didn't sound fake at all. I could see the whole stage, from where I was sittng. Everything sounded perfect. It was a great show, at a fair in southern Ohio.----Jake Jacoby

At one time Diffie had the steel parts pre-recorded on digital 8-track going through the PA, with the drummer playing the whole show to a click track from the tape so it was all in "synch". Sad but true...

Going from that to having an amazing player like Terry Crisp in the band is quite a step up for sure! (Jim Heffernan was no slouch back in his day either...). I've always thought Diffie was a great country singer but seeing that rack of tape machines backstage was quite a shock; I'm glad he got over that phase and I hope he fired the accountant that talked him into it!

Brett Crisp · Post by **Brett Crisp** » 5 Mar 2009 1:44 pm

JT, Yes Terry is still with Joe. He seems to like it pretty good. Be sure to catch the show if you can and let me know how it is. I havent been able to catch a Diffie show yet with Terry on it. Ive been busy on the road with Terri Clark.

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 5 Mar 2009 6:52 pm

Did a guy named David Wood do some live work for Joe? I think David is a classical guitarrist or something too.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 5 Mar 2009 9:18 pm

David Wood was with Joe a 2-3 years back and before that he was with Doug Stone. Very nice laid back fellow that just plays what needs to be played to appropriately support the singer. I think he has a guitar store in Franklin, TN. He did a stint with Lorrie Morgan also.

James Jacoby · Post by **James Jacoby** » 5 Mar 2009 9:59 pm

Pete Finney wrote:
James Jacoby wrote:Went to one of his shows, a few years ago. I kept hearing a steel, but could'nt see one. He had his regular guitar player, and a keyboard player, so I assumed, the key player had some gadget to make the keys sound like a steel. It didn't sound fake at all. I could see the whole stage, from where I was sittng. Everything sounded perfect. It was a great show, at a fair in southern Ohio.----Jake Jacoby
At one time Diffie had the steel parts pre-recorded on digital 8-track going through the PA, with the drummer playing the whole show to a click track from the tape so it was all in "synch". Sad but true...

Going from that to having an amazing player like Terry Crisp in the band is quite a step up for sure! (Jim Heffernan was no slouch back in his day either...). I've always thought Diffie was a great country singer but seeing that rack of tape machines backstage was quite a shock; I'm glad he got over that phase and I hope he fired the accountant that talked him into it!

Thanks Pete. I've been wondering about that for a long time!----Jake Jacoby---

Vic Lawson · Post by **Vic Lawson** » 6 Mar 2009 2:23 pm

Yes David Wood was with Joe approx. 3 years. Then I was with Joe for 2 years. Joe went to Branson last fall and I couldn't do it so I took the Tracy Byrd job and recommended Terry for the Diffie gig. Glad Terry could do it great player and a real nice guy. And it was a pleasure to work behind such a great COUNTRY singer!

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 6 Mar 2009 8:01 pm

I think Diffie is simply a great singer - genre on one side.

I wish we heard more of him!

Vic Lawson · Post by **Vic Lawson** » 6 Mar 2009 9:44 pm

Oh I agree, the man can sing the phone book and make you feel it.

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 7 Mar 2009 9:50 pm

Gene Diffie, Joes's Brother, had a band in Phoenix and was pretty well know there. Lots of Talent must be in that family.
I played with Gene Diffie at the Western place Rawhide 6 nights a week in Scottsdale ,Arizona, around 1973. Gene sang everything from contry, western, standards, pop and even some rock tunes. just he and I and a bass player. So I got to play backup and a lot of lead steel. Bob Meadows let me use his ZB D10, while I was waiting for my new one.. I always liked Joe Diffie's singing, he is good ...al.

Alan Rudd · Post by **Alan Rudd** » 8 Mar 2009 5:41 am

Joe might just be my favorite as well. He also has a sister, Monica, who also is a sensational vocalist and a friend of ours. I agree, I wish there was more voices on the radio today like Joe's. One of the greats! I also have had the pleasure of becoming friends with David (Woody). I stop by the store in Franklin to make a purchase now and then, but mostly to visit with David. He's a great guy.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 8 Mar 2009 6:06 am

The response to this thread is gratifying to me, even 'though it was primarily about whether or not he was using a steel-player.

I've been impressed with Joe from the first time I heard him and, on that occasion, I didn't know who he was. I was listening to that excellent Mary Chapin Carpenter album, 'Come On, Come On' and heard the song 'Too Much To Ask'. She duets with a male singer, but I couldn't identify him because the sleeve was unavailable. I was just struck by the timbre and technique in that voice, although I didn't learn who it was until much later.

Some time later I heard the track 'Ships That Don't Come In' - WOW!!! I immediately acquired whatever JD CDs I could.

On the whole, I can do without the southern rock-styled stuff like 'Regular Joe' - he sounds like a dozen other guys on that sort of material - but his ability with a serious ballad is exceptional.

I'm not usually a particularly avid country music 'fan', but when I hear this sort of quality I find myself wishing that the powers-that-be in Nashville would adjust their priorities a bit!

I was away on tour about four years ago and switched on GAC in my hotel room (I don't have it at home) and chanced on a live concert with Joe and his band. It absolutely confirmed that what I was hearing on his records was a real voice with great pitch and technique, as well as a soulful delivery. If only I could have a copy of that concert!!!!

I do remember that it was David Wood playing steel - excellently, I might add - and the whole band was a testament to how good this music can be when it's in the right hands.....

Alan Rudd · Post by **Alan Rudd** » 8 Mar 2009 6:40 am

Joe blew away the song "Goodnight, Sweetheart" way before David Kersh? made a hit with his somewhat lack-lustre version of it. My favorite is "Is It Cold in Here". Some fine steel work on that one.

J.T. Durham · Post by **J.T. Durham** » 9 Mar 2009 3:33 pm

Thanks Brett, For letting me know that Terry is playing with Joe . He is playing for Cystic Fibrosis Benefit show, Here in West Plains, Mo. I all ready have my Ticket $12:00 , I'm sure it will be worth that Just to hear Terry. I'm sure Joe will have good show.
J.T.

Michael T. Hermsmeyer · Post by **Michael T. Hermsmeyer** » 11 Mar 2009 1:07 am

When Joe recently performed here in Branson, during the fall season 08, he hired all local guys except for Terry Crisp and Terry's wife (her name escapes me at the moment). The rest of the band were all friends and buddies of mine, so I got to see the show and hear some of Terry's road stories back in the dressing room. What a wonderful person and a master of the instrument!!!

He said he had a rough night, but if I could play his "rough stuff" I would be really really happy, LOL.

Thanks Terry for being so great!!

I had also met Jim Heffernan back when He, Mike Auldrige and Hal Rugg performed as the Resocasters at the ISGC a few years ago. He is also a wonderful player!! He plays a lot of experimental tunings and gets a great sound on his Resonator guitars. It was a blest hanging out with them at the Benoit booth.

Larry King · Post by **Larry King** » 11 Mar 2009 7:55 am

Michael.....Terry's wife is Chrissy and sings her you know what off.

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