BLYTHEWOOD – After fans memorialized the late country singer Joe Diffie on the town’s water tower in April, more than a thousand people weighed in on The Voice’s Facebook page expressing their delight over Billy Bob’s declaration of love for Charlene in John Deere green paint high above the town.
Many, including two town councilmen called for Billy Bob and Charlene and their John Deere green heart to remain on the tower permanently.
At first, neither the Town of Winnsboro, who owns the water tower, nor officials in the Town of Blythewood were eager to remove the epitaph, because of the cost.
Last week, however, Mayor Roger Gaddy offered to remove the John Deere green song lyrics. But the offer did not include repainting the entire tower.
At Tuesday night’s council meeting, Gaddy’s offer came up for a vote.
“Although I do actually like it,” Councilman and Diffie fan Donald Brock who had initially called for the verse to remain on the tower, said, “I in no way support vandalism and will fully support Winnsboro covering it up. But, yeah, it does make me smile.”
With that, Councilman Eddie Baughman made a motion to allow the removal.
After a long, silent pause, Brock reluctantly seconded the motion, and council voted unanimously to allow Billy Bob and Charlene and their John Deere green heart to be removed.
Now folks in the town will discover if the lyrics of the song are true – that
“Painting over it ain’t no use.
There ain’t no paint in the world that’ll cover it.
The heart keeps showing through”.
