Cody Diekhoff – aka Chicago Farmer – is a central Illinois-based singer and songwriter. He and Micah Walk recently discussed his latest release, his upcoming performance in Springfield and more.
Your latest album Homeaid was released in March of this year. The whole thing is great – not just the quality in the writing, which I’m sure surprises no one familiar with you, but the captivating performances and the production that very successfully achieves an organic yet polished vibe, which isn’t easy to do. Where did you record it and who produced it?
Thank you. I recorded it with my band, The Fieldnotes, at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. It was produced by Chad Staehly, who also produced and performed on Todd Snider records and the supergroup Hard Working Americans. He really focused on putting the songs in the forefront and keeping the music and vocals as natural and as raw as possible while letting the vintage gear and engineer do their job to capture it.
A less is more approach for sure, and having him as producer really kept the work and creativity flowing. You can get into some pretty weird head spaces in the studio so having him keeping things loose and positive really helped me and band lay down our best efforts.
I caught you with The Fieldnotes live a few times – what a special lineup. I was sad to see you announce your final shows together this year. Do you hope to put another band together at some point, or keep it solo for a while?
It’s a bittersweet time, for sure. We’ve been together for eight years, and what a ride it’s been. I’m grateful for those guys and for all the moments on and off stage. Being in a touring band these days has its challenges. In the end, the juggling of schedules between the five of us, and with new opportunities for multiple players, we couldn’t swing it anymore. We could barely find time to even get back in that living room anymore. For now, I’m going to get back to my roots of being a folk singer. I might put something together again someday but for now it’s a table for one or two, when my wife comes along.
Even your solo performances are uniquely engaging, though, given the storytelling nature of your writing and performing. That’s probably why one of the great singer/songwriters you’ve been compared to is the late, great Todd Snider. You even got to tour with him, right? Can you describe what that experience was like?
There’s nothing like opening for Todd. I learned more in four days opening for him than four months on my own. His crowd is so dedicated to him, his songs, his stories and also to whoever he brings along with him. Being able to do my thing in front of his audience and then turning around and watching him is about as good as it gets. I was able to do that many times from St Paul, Minnesota, to Key West, Florida, and will cherish those moments forever. He’s truly a legend, and this week we’re gathering in Nashville where they’ll be naming a street after him. He deserves that and so much more. What a troubadour and a force of nature.
Arlington’s is a beautiful space with a lot of history. Have you played this venue before, or when it was called On Broadway?
This will be my first time playing Arlington’s and my first time back in Springfield proper in a very long time. Been circling around it in Petersburg, New Berlin and Riverton, and it’s high time to be back in the capital city. I did catch a show there a few months ago with Robbie Fulks and Patrick Hagerman and loved the vibe and room. Really looking forward to Oct. 16!
