Chicago Farmer

Flyover Country

Cody Diekhoff is a songwriter-singer. People know him as “Chicago Farmer” and his sixth studio album, Flyover Country, released February 7th 2020. A country boy from Illinois, these songs speak to and sometimes for the working class. Diekhoff teamed up with the hot Texas, Band Of Heathens, as his backing band for this album. You expect fine songwriting from Chicago Farmer, add Band Of Heathens and the songs soar. That’s what you can expect from Flyover Country.

Cody “Chicago Farmer” Diekhoff plays guitar and vocals on the album. Band Of Heathens are Ed Jurdi on vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, and harmonica. Gordy Quist provides vocal and acoustic and electric guitars. Trevor Nealon added keys, Richard Millsap added drums and percussion, Jesse Wilson plays bass, and Heather Horton and Chris Harden provided additional vocals on select tracks. Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist from The Heathens served as co-producers of the album alongside Diehkoff. The album was recorded in Austin at the bands Fishing School Studio. All but Hank Williams’s “Ramblin’ Man” are originals.

Hailing from the heartland, Diehkoffs perspective speaks to the heart of the country. People who see firsthand that, white-collar crime pays while blue collar-crime takes away, as he sings in “Collars”. He sings of shows that treat you right by not gouging your last hard-earned dollar on high-priced/low-quality entertainment as he does in “$13 Beers”. Chicago Farmer is out in the trenches like the rest of us spending those dollars on the stuff that’s real, as he exclaims in “All In One Place”. These are songs that honor hard-working folks as is honored in “Dirtiest Uniforms”. You will be moved by the poetry of these songs, like this favorite from the title song;

“It’s the same tragedy a different day
You don’t want to see but you can’t look away …

Gathering words from the road, that fall from the sky, flow from a pen
Strangers saying hello, friends saying goodbye, until they meet again
… Turning the pages, turning the wheel
Learning to gauge us, learning to feel …

A lifetime to go a lifetime behind, eyes on the road you on my mind

Drive all night”

Chicago Farmer featuring The Band of Heathens has created an eclectic group of songs on Flyover Country. You’ll dance to these songs even if you’re a song-and-dance man who never learned to dance. You’ll sing to these songs even if you don’t have the prettiest voice. Best of all, you’ll feel good for having listened. I know I Do.

• Viola Krouse