Joe Diffie Gets the House Jumpin’

Tuesday, Dec. 2, 1997 | 5:24 a.m.

A HITMAKER HIS FIRST TIME OUT, Joe Diffie picks up the pace on a stellar career that snowballs into something special with each endeavor.

"It still amazes me," Diffie said, describing the way it feels to make a record. "No matter how many times I've done it, it's still a thrill--the idea you can begin with a blank tape and then come out with something extraordinary."

Diffie admirers and soon-to-be disciples can find out just how extraordinary a legacy it is, when the singer brings his zest for performing into the MGM Grand Garden, Dec. 10-13.

What sets "Twice Upon A Time," Diffie's latest and greatest, apart from previous releases, is the range of material the singer delivers, which is sure to please with its intoxicating hooks and good, old-fashioned grooves.

"I pick songs like a radio listener--I try to find something that either gets me dancing or gives me chills," he said.

And goose bumps are what's in store as Diffie cranks up the volume on songs such as "This Is Your Brain," with its novel twist on lyrics that put perfectly into words the havoc Cupid wreaks over lovesick fools, to the poignant "The Promised Land" and honky-tonk anthems "Houston, We Have a Problem" and "John Doe."

With his string of No. 1 hits, it's hard to believe music wasn't Diffie's first choice of careers. This Oklahoma native aspired to be a doctor, at first a heart surgeon, then, after a football injury, a chiropractor. To this day, Diffie continues to read medical texts out of habit, and even receives the occasional call from relatives fishing for a diagnosis.

Alas, Diffie's passion for music won out--good news, no doubt, to his legion of loyal listeners.

Performance information

Where: MGM Grand

When: Dec. 10-13

Information: 891-7777