Chicago Farmer
“You can smell the dirt in the fields, hear the wind as it blows across the plains, and see the people. Imagine if a John Steinbeck short story had been written as a song, and this will give you a fairly good idea as to what the Chicago Farmer accomplishes on his albums.”
Honest Tune
The son of a small town farming community, Cody Diekhoff logged plenty of highway and stage time under the name Chicago Farmer before settling in the city in 2003.
Profoundly inspired by fellow midwesterner John Prine, he’s a working-class folk musician to his core. His small town roots, tilled with city streets mentality, are turning heads North and South of I-80.
“I love the energy, music, and creativity of Chicago, but at the same time, the roots and hard work of my small town,” he shares. Growing up in Delavan, Illinois, with a population less than 2,000, Diekhoff’s grandparents were farmers, and their values have always provided the baseline of his songs.
“Whether in Chicago or Delavan, everyone has a story, and everyone puts in a long day and works hard the same way,” says Farmer.
“My generation may have been labeled as slackers, but I don’t know anyone who doesn’t work hard - many people I know put in 50-60 hours a week and 12 hour days. That’s what keeps me playing. I don’t like anyone to be left out; my music is for everyone in big and very small towns.”
