Country music singer, Joe Diffie, known for his lighthearted odes that reached mainstream success in the 1990s, passed away Sunday from coronavirus complications, according to his publicist. He was 61.
Diffie was a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, He made 13 albums and had over 20 Top 10 hits to his credit, his publicist said. His boot-scooting crowd-pleasers included “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)” and “Honky Tonk Attitude.”
The singer announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 a couple of days before his death. Diffie said, “My family and I are asking for privacy at this time. We want to remind the public and all my fans to be vigilant, cautious and careful during this pandemic.”
Diffie’s songs were full of tongue-in-cheek takes on life as a “good ol’ boy,” such as 1994’s “Pickup Man.” He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry for 25 years and won a Grammy Award in 1998 for “Same Old Train.”
Maria Mercader, CBS News producer and talent executive, died of coronavirus complications in New York on Sunday, according to CBS. She was 54.
She worked at CBS for nearly 30 years. Maria recently worked as a talent director for CBS. The network said she had been on medical leave for an unrelated matter since late February.
CBS said, “Mercader courageously fought cancer and related illnesses for 20 years, enduring numerous treatments and surgeries. To her colleagues and family, she was an inspiration and a symbol of hope each time she returned to work after the latest medical setback threatened to end her life.”
Mercader helped produce coverage of some of the biggest breaking news, including Princess Diana’s death and the 9/11 attacks, according to CBS. Mercader won the Emmy Award for business and financial reporting for her work producing a “CBS Sunday Morning” report on computer spam in 2004.
