Chicago Farmer

Biography

Chicago Farmer is the stage name of Illinois singer-songwriter Cody Diekhoff, a working‑class folk and Americana artist known for his vivid storytelling, sharp social observation, and deep connection to Midwestern life.[1][2][6] Raised in the tiny farming town of Delavan, Illinois (population under 2,000), he grew up in a family with farming grandparents whose values of hard work and humility became the bedrock of his songs.[1][2] As a teenager he gravitated first to punk and grunge before a friend’s father introduced him to Hank Williams, and soon after to John Prine and Woody Guthrie, artists who redirected him toward narrative‑driven, acoustic folk.[1][2][4][8]

Performing under the name Chicago Farmer, originally conceived as a band moniker, Diekhoff began logging extensive stage and highway time across the Midwest and beyond, eventually settling in Chicago in 2003 to pursue music full‑time.[1][2][6] Over more than two decades he has crisscrossed the United States playing small towns, big cities, and rural communities, building a reputation as a consummate storyteller whose songs speak directly to working people putting in long hours in factories, farms, and service jobs.[2][6] His style blends folk, alt‑country, bluegrass and Americana, pairing plain‑spoken, often humorous lyrics with compassion for everyday struggles and a clear-eyed take on economic and social realities, leading admirers to place him in the lineage of John Prine, Arlo Guthrie, and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott.[1][2]

Chicago Farmer’s music is rooted in the tension and harmony between his small‑town upbringing and his adopted big‑city home—what he calls “small town roots, tilled with city streets mentality.”[1][2] Across a catalog of independently released albums and constant touring, he has cultivated a loyal regional following and become a voice for Midwestern working‑class experience, performing both solo and with his band The Fieldnotes.[2][5][6] While still a largely grassroots figure, his songs and live performances have earned praise from peers and audiences for their honesty, warmth, and the sense of community they create, reinforcing his status as a modern Midwestern folk troubadour.[1][2][5][6]

Fun Facts

• Chicago Farmer’s stage name was originally intended for a full band, but he ended up using it as a solo traveling troubadour, driving alone from bar to bar and city to city to connect directly with audiences.[1][2]
• He grew up in Delavan, Illinois, a small town so tiny it has been described as having no traffic lights, and his grandparents were farmers whose work ethic infused his songwriting.[1][2][7]
• As a kid he was into punk rock and grunge before a friend’s dad put on Hank Williams, a moment he describes as a revelation that set him on the path toward folk and country‑influenced songwriting.[1][2][4][8]
• Fans and fellow artists have likened him to an heir of Arlo Guthrie and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott for his blend of storytelling, humor, and reverence for the folk tradition.[1]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• John Prine - Profound stylistic and songwriting influence; fellow Midwestern storyteller whose blend of humor, empathy, and working‑class narratives shaped Chicago Farmer’s approach. (General influence on Chicago Farmer’s catalog and narrative folk style, frequently cited by Diekhoff as a primary inspiration.) [Identified as a major influence from early in his folk discovery through his professional career.[1][2]]
• Woody Guthrie - Foundational folk influence; model for socially conscious, narrative songs about ordinary people and labor. (General influence on topical and working‑class themes in Chicago Farmer’s songwriting.) [Discovered after Hank Williams, alongside John Prine, as Diekhoff shifted from punk/grunge into folk.[1][2][4]]
• Hank Williams - Gateway country influence whose classic songs helped pivot Diekhoff from punk/grunge toward roots and country‑folk songwriting. (General stylistic influence through Williams’ traditional country songwriting and emotional directness.) [First major roots‑music influence in his youth after hearing a friend’s dad play Hank Williams.[1][2]]

Key Collaborators

• The Fieldnotes - Chicago Farmer’s backing band, with whom he records and performs under the name Chicago Farmer and The Fieldnotes. (Album "Homeaid" (recorded with The Fieldnotes at Pachyderm Recording Studio; slated for release on LoHi Records).) [Documented collaboration at least mid‑2020s; ongoing live and studio work.[2][5]]
• Chad Staehly - Record producer for Chicago Farmer. (Producer of the album "Homeaid" by Chicago Farmer and The Fieldnotes.) [Production work around the "Homeaid" sessions in the mid‑2020s.[2]]

Artists Influenced

• [[|]] - No reliably documented specific artists publicly citing Chicago Farmer as a primary influence were found in available sources; his influence is described more generally in terms of regional audiences and peers.

External Links

• Spotify