Crossroads Cultural Connections will present Chicago Farmer at the Bishop Hill Commons, located at 309 N. Bishop Hill St in Bishop Hill this Saturday evening, Jan. 10.
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.
“I love the energy, music, and creativity of Chicago, but at the same time, the roots and hard work of my small town,” he said. Growing up in Delavan, Ill., with a population less than 2,000, Diekhoff’s grandparents were farmers, and their values have always provided the baseline of his songs.
“I write music for the kind of people that come to my shows,” said Diekhoff. “Whether in Chicago or Delavan, everyone has a story, and everyone puts in a long day and works hard the same way. 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.”
He listened to punk rock and grunge as a kid before discovering a friend’s dad playing Hank Williams, and it was a revelation. Prine and Guthrie quickly followed. The name Chicago Farmer was originally for a band, but the utilitarian life of driving alone from bar to bar, city to city – to make a direct connection to his audience and listener, took a deeper hold.
The evening begins with a community potluck and social hour at 6 p.m., followed by the concert at 7 p.m. The event is all ages and family-friendly. A $20–$30 suggested donation is requested.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, through federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, Illinois Humanities and the Doris and Ken Kolb Charitable Trust.
