Chicago Farmer Joins Forces With The Band Of Heathens On ‘Flyover Country’ – 1st Single Out Now

Putting the Poetry in Motion,
Chicago Farmer
Joins Forces with The Band of Heathens

Flyover Country  – Due Out Feb 7, 2020
Recorded at The Finishing School in Austin, Texas

First Single “Indiana Line” Out Now →  https://chicagofarmer.hearnow.com

BLOOMINGTON, IL — For recording artists, albums can be like children — it’s hard to go on record choosing one as a favorite. But Cody “Chicago Farmer” Diekhoff doesn’t hesitate to designate his forthcoming release, Flyover Country, as his “golden child.”

“I think it’s my best work so far and definitely the one that I put the most into,” Diekhoff said of the 10-song album, due out Feb. 7, 2020.

Americana Highways premiered the lead single, “Indiana Line,” which is out now, saying, “With an ominous western intro, ‘Indiana Line’ builds up to a foot stompin,’  thumpin’ instant singalong. This bodes very well for Chicago Farmer’s Flyover Country. The harmonies with The Band of Heathens are irresistible, and the style is absolute contagion.” Listen HERE. 

Flyover Country, his sixth full-length studio album, comes on the heels of his double-disc live release, Quarter Past Tonight, and the new one signals a turning point for Diekhoff. Quarter Past Tonight was a sort of valedictory statement for Chicago Farmer as a solo tale-spinning troubadour. He felt it was time for a change.

 

Chicago Farmer – Photo by Bradley J Scott

I knew as I was writing these songs that they called for another direction — and a band. A band that was tight, had soul, and knew how to make records,” Diekhoff said. “I’ll always be a folksinger, but you can’t just keep doing the same thing over and over. I decided it’s time to throw some fuel on this fire and get it going. For me, it’s all about the poetry and playing with a band is about putting the poetry in motion a little differently.”

 

As he was contemplating how to make his next record, he had some dates opening for The Band of Heathens. Talking backstage with Gordy Quist of the Heathens, Diekhoff discovered that the Heathens had their own studio (The Finishing School) back home in Austin, Texas, and had a strong track record of working on recording projects with other musicians, including Margo Price and Reed Foehl. On top of that, the five guys in The Band of Heathens are all versatile, world-class musicians with soul and they know how to make records.

“It seemed like it was meant to be, a calling from the Americana rock ‘n’ roll gods,” Diekhoff said.

The Heathens thought as highly of Chicago Farmer as Diekhoff thought of them. “Cody writes and sings in a truly authentic voice about the people that inhabit the spaces that America’s hopes and dreams have been built upon. Always the underdog, sometimes overlooked, but never to be forgotten,” said Ed Jurdi of the Heathens.

With Quist and Jurdi serving as co-producers with Diekhoff, the Heathens and Diekhoff hit the studio with the blueprints for the next Chicago Farmer album. While there were some overdubs, Chicago Farmer’s voice was recorded completely live with The Heathens to drive his words even deeper. 

Diekhoff said. “I’ve never been put to the test like that before. It really made me kick it up a notch.”

“Cody came in with a stellar batch of songs and really had a good vision for what he wanted the album to be,” Jurdi added.

Diekhoff’s longtime collaborator Chris Harden served as recording engineer (and mixed the album), on top of adding harmonies on two songs, and Heather Horton added harmony vocals on three tunes.

Fans of Chicago Farmer will already know at least a couple of the songs on Flyover Country if they’ve seen a show in the past couple years. In fact, Diekhoff’s talking-blues tribute to hardworking, unsung, everyday heroes, “Dirtiest Uniform,” and his country-folk singalong anthem extolling the virtues of intimate live music shows and cheap beer over corporate arena concerts, “$13 Beers,” are among the highlights on Quarter Past Tonight.

Diekhoff and the Heathens cover a lot of musical territory on Flyover Country. “Indiana Line” is a country-tinged rootsy raveup, a tale of a desperate drive down the road to redemption with great, growling slide guitar work. The title track is a languid waltz with a shuffling beat and jangly guitar, an ode to the people of the rural heartland, his people, putting Diekhoff’s high vibrato to great use. A brisker waltz beat propels “Collars,” another tribute to small-town folks, this one inspired by a young soldier who didn’t come home from Iraq.

Harmonica and baritone guitar drive “Deer in the Sky,” an uptempo folk-rock number about the benefits of flying over driving (you can drink beer on a plane and you’ll never hit a deer). Things get downright raucous on a couple songs, with Diekhoff’s grunge-rock roots coming out on “Mother Nature’s Daughter,” an environmental protest song, while the guitars go to town on “All in One Place,” a humorous look at the sad truth about making money in the music business.

Diekhoff pays tribute to Hank Williams with the album’s sole cover, Williams’ “Ramblin’ Man,” while also honoring Kenny Forbes, a friend’s father who introduced a young Diekhoff to the music of Hank Williams, setting him off on his musical quest as a folksinger. “Ramblin’ Man” starts with a stripped-down presentation but by the final verse it explodes with intensity.

The album ends with “The Village Revisited,” a sprawling, gospel-tinged song about the importance of community that recalls Creedence Clearwater Revival’s take on “Midnight Special” at times and at the end sounds like a party has broken out in the studio.

Through all the songs on Flyover Country — and most Chicago Farmer songs, for that matter —runs a common thread, a love and respect for regular folks, those who might be overlooked and underappreciated.

“A lot of my friends are just getting by day-to-day,” Diekhoff said. “We keep at it, we keep working hard. Hopefully, eventually, things will turn around.”

When Flyover Country comes out in February, Diekhoff will put his solo troubadour days behind him, at least for a while. He’ll hit the road with a band, performing as Chicago Farmer and the Fieldnotes, something he’s really looking forward to after seeing how much fun The Band of Heathens have onstage.

This is Chicago Farmer’s first studio album in four years and it will be available on CD and vinyl, as well as digital & streaming services. Pre-order Flyover Country now through Kickstarter → http://kck.st/2KbMnLX.

Chicago Farmer Flyover Country Tour Dates
All Shows Feature Chicago Farmer & The Fieldnotes:
Chicago Farmer, Jaik Willis, Cody Jensen, & Cosmic Charlie Harris 

2019
12/26 Thu – Monarch Music Hall – Peoria, IL
12/27 Fri – Rosebowl Tavern – Urbana, IL
12/28 Sat – Hey Nonny – Arlington Heights, IL

2020
2/7 Fri – The Bootleg – St. Louis, MO
2/8 Sat –  The Eagle’s Theater – Olney, IL
2/9 Sun – Stellar Cellar – Effingham, IL
2/14 Fri – Castle Theatre – Bloomington, IL
2/15 Sat – Fitzgerald’s Nightclub – Berwyn, IL
2/16 Sun- Anodyne Coffee – Milwaukee, WI
2/21 Fri – The Turf Club –  St Paul, MN
2/22 Sat – The Outer Edge – Appleton, WI
2/28 Fri – Southgate House – Newport, KY
2/29 Sat – Duke’s INDY – Indianapolis, IN
3/6 Fri – Redstone Room – Davenport, IA
3/7 Sat – Vaudeville Mews – Des Moines, IA

Flyover Country Track Listing and Credits

1. Indiana Line 3:51
2. Flyover Country 4:59
3. Mother Nature’s Daughter 3:01
4. $13 Beers 3:17
5. Collars 5:23
6. All In One Place 2:51
7. Deer In The Sky 3:23
8. Ramblin’ Man 4:44
9. Dirtiest Uniforms 4:43
10. The Village Revisited 6:56

Chicago Farmer – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar 

The Band of Heathens:
Ed Jurdi – Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Harmonica
Gordy Quist – Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitars
Trevor Nealon – All Things Keys
Richard Millsap – Drums, Percussion
Jesse Wilson – Bass

With Special Guests:
Heather Horton – Vocals (3, 5, 10)
Chris Harden – Vocals (8, 10)

Recorded February 2019 at The Finishing School in Austin, TX
Produced by Ed Jurdi, Gordy Quist, & Chicago Farmer
Engineered & Mixed by Chris Harden

All tracks written by Cody Diekhoff with the exception of Hank Williams’ “Ramblin’ Man” 

Further information and tour dates can be found at www.chicagofarmer.com, www.facebook.com/chicagofarmer, and twitter.com/chicagofarmer.

 

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The Drunken Hearts Premiere Music Video “Fire In A House” With American Songwriter

THE DRUNKEN HEARTS
PREMIERE NEW MUSIC VIDEO TO THE SONG
“FIRE IN A HOUSE”

FROM THEIR OCTOBER LOHI RECORDS RELEASE: WHEELS OF THE CITY

DENVER, CO — The Drunken Hearts released a new music video today of their original song “Fire in a House,” exclusively premiered by American Songwriter Magazine. Watch it HERE. 

American Songwriter writes, “The five-man band from the Boulder/Denver area of Colorado carry a mountain spirit into its music and mix it with a 90s rock blend, that is eerily reminiscent of Pearl Jam — due in large part to the vocals of Andrew McConathy.” 

McConathy tells American Songwriter, “This song came to me after hearing of a fellow musician’s rather startling breakup with his band mate, and serves as a harsh reminder that even the most fairy tale relationships can come to an end. If you don’t watch out, it can burn down the whole damn town.” 

“Fire in a House” is the opening track of their new album Wheels of The City, which came out October 18, 2019 on LoHi Records to rave reviews. Glide’s Jim Hynes says, “Powerhouse singer Andrew McConathy is commanding from the outset on ‘Fire in House,” and Americana Highways’ John Apice calls the song, “a typical classic rock era swipe without sounding too retro.” Loudwire also featured the song song their “Weekly Wire” on release week.

NYS Music writes, “The album.. starts out with ‘Fire in a House,’ slowly building an intro, leading to a verse, a piano melody, and continuing with layers of other instrumentation and backing vocals. The tune eventually deconstructs to some degree toward the end, sonically arriving back where it began.” 

The album was recorded at Silo Sound Studios in Denver with friend and producer Tim Carbone (Railroad Earth). Carbone also performs piano on “Fire In A House.”

The Drunken Hearts are acoustic guitarist and powerhouse lead singer, Andrew McConathy joined by pedal steel, Dobro, and lap steel player Cody Russell and electric guitarist and vocalist Kory Montgomery, along with bassist and vocalist Jon McCartan and drummer Alex Johnson.

The band is continuing their album release tour, and is on the road opening for Yonder Mountain String Band for a slew of shows.

The full album is available at all outlets to stream and purchase now → https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/thedrunkenhearts/wheels-of-the-city-4

The Drunken Hearts Wheels of the City Tour Dates:
11/13 Wed – Baltimore, MD – The 8×10*
11/14 Thu – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl*
11/15 Fri – Ardmore, PA – The Ardmore Music Hall*
11/16 Sat – Boulder, CO – The Fox Theatre
11/17 Sun – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios*
11/19 Tue – Greenfield, MA – Hawks & Reed PAC*
11/21 Thu – Portland, ME – Port City Music Hall*
11/22 Fri – Pawtucket, RI – The Met*
11/23 Sat – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall*
11/24 Sun – York, PA – The Capitol Theatre*

* supporting Yonder Mountain String Band

For more information and updates from the road, please visit www.thedrunkenhearts.com, facebook.com/thedrunkenhearts, twitter.com/drunkenhearts, and instagram.com/thedrunkenhearts.

 

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Leftover Salmon Releases Jeff Austin Tribute Song on Backline to Support Mental Health

Leftover Salmon Releases “Songs You’ve Left Unsung” on Backline

In Memory of Jeff Austin

Written by Greg Garrison

Pay What You Wish – 100% of Proceeds Donated to Backline

Denver, CO — Leftover Salmon releases “Songs You’ve Left Unsung” as a tribute to dear friend Jeff Austin in his memory. The song was penned by LoS’s bassist, Greg Garrison, and is out today, November 4, 2019 at Backline.care/songs-left-unsung/. All proceeds from the sale of it are donated to Backline. 

Backline.Care is a hub for music industry professionals and their families to quickly and easily access mental health and wellness resources. Backline has partnered with leading support organizations and care providers to streamline access to a wealth of services and educational resources specifically geared towards this work and lifestyle. It is a hub to discover existing organizations, unique content, peer networks, and case managers who can help create a plan that addresses your unique mental health and wellness challenges–on and off the road. Their website was created by music industry professionals for music industry professionals.

Here is a note from Greg Garrison about “Songs You’ve Left Unsung”:

I first met Jeff Austin when we were in 7th grade. Through the 80’s and 90’s, we somehow always wound up in the same places at the same times…Rolling Meadows, IL as kids, Decatur and Urbana, IL during our college years, and eventually Colorado as adults. And then, maybe predictably, as members of touring bands in the same scene.

“Songs You’ve Left Unsung” is a reflection on some of these times…the verses move chronologically, starting in Illinois and winding up in Colorado. The chorus is meant to be bittersweet but also hopeful for those of us that are still here writing songs, experiencing music, raising families and living life with all of its turbulent ups and downs.

I wanted to release the song with Backline because I think their mission is exceptionally important; providing mental health and wellness support to people in the music industry while also providing an opportunity for those of us who deal with issues like depression, anxiety, and substance abuse to share our stories. Hopefully, these stories will provide comfort, clarity, support, inspiration and a helping hand to anyone who is in need.

On a personal note, I have always struggled with a certain amount of social anxiety (not the easiest thing when you’re in a band like Leftover Salmon); the kind of anxiety that makes you feel like you’re always in the way, that folks don’t really want to hear what you have to say, play or sing, always looking for a way out of conversations because “this person doesn’t really want to be talking to me anyway…”. It makes being a musician, which involves a healthy amount of“putting yourself out there” a difficult task at times. Thankfully, when the music is happening and I’m playing the bass, I can close my eyes, quiet my mind and feel at home.

I discovered that I suffer from low-level depression (called dysthymia) during one of my most difficult periods as a human and as a musician. When I parted ways with Punch Brothers in 2008, a lot of things came crashing down. While my amazing third child (Ella) had just been born, I was also in the midst of a crumbling marriage, had no steady gig or income (Leftover Salmon was still just waking up from its hiatus), and the band that I had put so much time, effort, and soul into was moving in a different direction. Lots of stress…lots of anger…lots of confusion…lots of self-doubt…lots of hopelessness. I know many musicians can relate to this scenario, it’s certainly not a unique one in our industry.

Fortunately, through counseling, I was able to get my proverbial “shit together” to some extent, and I started taking medication (which I still take to this day). It’s hard to admit you need help. I’m glad that I did. I was lucky enough to have some honest people around me who recognized what I was going through and pushed me to make changes.

Like many, I certainly wish I would have understood the extent to which Jeff was hurting, and that I could have given him a helping hand when it was needed. I’m glad that an organization like Backline exists now, as having the support of others who have gone through or are going through a similar situation will allow the healing to start and leave far fewer songs left unsung.

-Greg Garrison

To donate and download the song, please visit www.backline.care/songs-left-unsung. 

For more about Leftover Salmon, please visit www.LeftoverSalmon.com. 

 

 

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