(Posted Oct. 19, 2018)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
Country music stars Joe Diffie and Jimmie Allen are set to take the stage Nov. 16 in the inaugural Country Concert Series at the Madison County Fairgrounds in London.
Diffie, a member of the Grand Ole Opry, is headlining the show. Since he first topped the country charts in 1990 with “Home,” he has amassed 12 No. 1 hits, 20 top-10s, and four gold and platinum albums. Among his popular tunes are “Ships That Don’t Come In,” “Pickup Man,” “John Deere Green” and “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets).”
As a songwriter, Diffie’s success is equally as impressive. In addition to the numerous hits he kept for himself, his songs have been recorded by Holly Dunn, Tim McGraw, Tracy Lawrence, Conway Twitty, Doug Stone and, most recently, Jo Dee Messina whose recording of “My Give a Damn’s Busted,” became a No. 1 song.
Recent collaborations with Jason Aldean on “1994,” a hit released earlier this year, and hick-hop stars The Jawga Boyz on “Girl Ridin’ Shotgun,” are opening new doors for Diffie at this point in his career. He is working on an album of new material, due out later this year on Bigger Picture Records.
Diffie has won a Grammy, several CMA awards, and was named Humanitarian of the Year by the County Music Broadcasters.
Opening act Jimmie Allen is starting to make a name for himself on the country music scene. After “Blue Jean Baby,” a song on his debut self-titled EP, became a viral hit on the digital streaming service Spotify, Allen landed on nearly every “Ones to Watch” list going into 2018.
“Best Shot” from “Mercury Lane,” his first full-length album, has made the Country Airplay charts and was made into a music video. Other tunes from the album range from the dance-worthy “American Heartbreaker” and “Make Me Want To” to the more introspective “Wait for It” and “High Life.”
The Diffie/Allen concert is the first in what presenter Reagans Productions hopes will be a regular event, bringing country music acts to the Madison County Fairgrounds twice a year.
Reagans Productions is a collaboration between friends and Madison County residents Matt Mason and Cory Coburn. Their aim is to bring family-friendly entertainment to the county while showcasing the facilities at the fairgrounds. Additionally, several local non-profits are lending a hand with everything from parking to clean-up as a way to raise funds for their organizations.
Tickets to the Nov. 16 concert are $35 and available at LondonOHConcert.com.
