Country singer Joe Diffie, a ‘90s hitmaker, dies of coronavirus at age 61

Country singer Joe Diffie, who had a string of hits in the 1990s, died Sunday of complications from coronavirus, Rolling Stone reports.

Diffie had announced that he tested positive for the COVID-19 virus on Friday, Variety reported.

“I am under the care of medical professionals and currently receiving treatment,” Diffie had said in a statement, The Tennessean reported. “We want to remind the public and all my fans to be vigilant, cautious and careful during this pandemic.”

Diffie, 61, was best known for 1990s country hits such as “John Deere Green,” “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)” and “Third Rock From the Sun,” among others, Rolling Stone reported.

A Grand Ole Opry member for 25 years, Diffie has nearly 20 Top 10 country hits, five of which went to No. 1, Variety reported. He was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

His other hit songs included “Home,” “Pickup Man,” and “Bigger Than the Beatles,” Rolling Stone reported.

More than 737,000 cases of the COVID-19 virus have been confirmed worldwide with more than 35,000 deaths as of March 30, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 143,000 confirmed cases with more than 2,500 deaths.

The World Health Organization has declared coronavirus a global pandemic. The United States has declared a national emergency.

This story was originally published March 29, 2020 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Country singer Joe Diffie, a ‘90s hitmaker, dies of coronavirus at age 61."