Editing Joe Diffie (section)

===2004–2020: ''The Ultimate Collection'' and later activity===
After leaving Broken Bow, Diffie continued to tour, primarily playing smaller venues and [[county fair]]s.<ref name="ledger">{{cite web|url=http://www.maysville-online.com/news/article_032d6f2e-fb75-51cf-9bd2-e0d012282221.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130128101324/http://www.maysville-online.com/news/article_032d6f2e-fb75-51cf-9bd2-e0d012282221.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 28, 2013|title=Joe Diffie ready to entertain at Brown County Fair|last=Carlson|first=Carrie|date=September 25, 2006|work=The Ledger Independent|access-date=July 21, 2010}}</ref> In 2007, he joined with [[Lonestar]], [[Charlie Daniels]], and [[Craig Morgan (singer)|Craig Morgan]] to perform a benefit concert for Sgt. Kevin Downs, a soldier who was severely wounded in [[Iraq]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1564872/20070716/lonestar.jhtml|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120723092615/http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1564872/20070716/lonestar.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 23, 2012|title=Lonestar, Daniels and Morgan Perform for Wounded Soldier|date=July 16, 2007|work=CMT.com|access-date=July 21, 2010}}</ref> In 2008, Diffie compiled and released a live album,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gactv.com/gac/nw_headlines/article/0,3034,GAC_26063_5918664_,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122033556/http://www.gactv.com/gac/nw_headlines/article/0,3034,GAC_26063_5918664_,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 22, 2008 |title=Joe Diffie Tackles Live Album |access-date=August 8, 2008 |work=gactv.com }}</ref> and he signed to [[Rounder Records]] later in that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.countrystandardtime.com/news/newsitem.asp?xid=2145|title=Joe Diffie signs with Rounder|date=September 28, 2008|work=Country Standard Time|access-date=July 20, 2010}}</ref> Rounder released an album called ''The Ultimate Collection'', which comprised re-recordings of his hits for Epic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=4347|title=''The Ultimate Collection'' review|last=Sudhalter|first=Michael|work=Country Standard Time|access-date=July 21, 2010}}</ref>

His next project for Rounder, ''[[Homecoming: The Bluegrass Album]]'', was released on October 26, 2010. It includes collaborations with [[The Grascals]], [[Rhonda Vincent]], and other bluegrass artists. Diffie toured at various county fairs in August 2010 in support of it.<ref name="grass">{{cite web|url=http://www.countrystandardtime.com/news/newsitem.asp?xid=4135|title=Diffie returns with bluegrass CD in August|date=May 18, 2010|work=Country Standard Time|access-date=July 20, 2010}}</ref> He co-produced the album with Luke Wooten, and included on it the song "Tennessee Tea", which Diffie originally recorded while he was in Special Edition.<ref name="poet">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=the-bluegrass-album-homecoming-r1787551/review|pure_url=yes}}|title=''Homecoming'' review|author=j. poet|work=Allmusic|access-date=October 29, 2010}}</ref> Allmusic reviewer j. poet gave this album a positive review for showing Diffie's bluegrass influences.<ref name="poet"/>

[[File:Jason Aldean 2022 (cropped).jpg|200px|thumb|right|Jason Aldean recorded the song "1994", which makes several references to Diffie and his music.|alt=A bust shot of singer Jason Aldean.]]

In late 2012, [[Jason Aldean]] recorded the song "[[1994 (song)|1994]]", co-written by [[Thomas Rhett]], [[Luke Laird]], and Barry Dean. The song, which was released in February 2013 as the third single from Aldean's album ''[[Night Train (Jason Aldean album)|Night Train]]'', name-drops Diffie and incorporates several of his song titles into the lyrics. Upon hearing about the song, Diffie said, "it's really an honor" to be mentioned in the song, and that it was "flattering".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tasteofcountry.com/jason-aldean-1994-joe-diffie/|title=Joe Diffie 'Stunned' by Shoutouts in Jason Aldean's '1994′|last=Nicholson|first=Jessica|date=November 4, 2012|work=Taste of Country|access-date=March 2, 2013}}</ref> Later in the year, Diffie collaborated with [[Aaron Tippin]] and [[Sammy Kershaw]] on the album ''All in the Same Boat'', and cut the single "Girl Riding Shotgun" with D Thrash of the [[Jawga Boyz]]. This was followed in 2019 by a vinyl album called ''Joe, Joe, Joe Diffie''.<ref name=pickup/>

In 2023, [[Hardy (singer)|Hardy]] paid tribute to Diffie during the [[Academy of Country Music]] ceremony, where he joined [[Morgan Wallen]] and [[Post Malone]] in live renditions of "Pickup Man" and "John Deere Green". A studio recording of the "Pickup Man" cover, featuring Hardy, Post Malone, and a vocal track recorded by Diffie in 2006, was released soon afterward as the first single from Hardy's album ''[[Hixtape: Vol. 3: Difftape]]'', which was released in March 2024. This project includes Hardy and other artists covering Diffie's songs.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/post-malone-pickup-man-first-country-airplay-1235471783/ | title=Post Malone Secures His First Hit on Country Airplay Chart With 'Pickup Man' | publisher=Billboard | date=November 14, 2023 | accessdate=November 14, 2023 | author=Xander Zellner}}</ref>