With his chiseled baritone and a fistful of well-chosen songs, Joe rose easily above the crowd of country's early-'90s boom. He gave us the gentle lope of "Home," the retro-cool "If the Devil Danced (in Empty Pockets)," the bleakly romantic "Ships That Don't Come In" -- the list goes on and on.

All these and more can be found on The Essential Joe Diffie, and it's a joy to hear them again. Just like his name suggests, Joe is a regular guy with a humble attitude -- one who just happens to be a superb song stylist. Listen and be reminded.