Nov
12
Events
Chicago Farmer & Rucksack Revolution
Howley Sessions: Old Town New Folk—Roots, Music and Beyond
About the event
This performance is part of the Howley Sessions and takes place on Hugh’s View rooftop, overlooking Key West. Prefer an indoor concert? Catch Chicago Farmer & Rucksack Revolution the night before on February 2 in the Howley Auditorium.
See the full Howley Sessions season.
Heartfelt storytelling, rich harmonies, and the spirit of the Midwest come together as Chicago Farmer and Rucksack Revolution take the stage at The Studios for a couple evenings of folk, Americana, and roots music.
Chicago Farmer, the musical moniker of singer-songwriter Cody Diekhoff, draws on his small-town Illinois upbringing and the energy of Chicago’s music scene to craft honest, working-class anthems. Inspired by legendary storytellers like John Prine and Woody Guthrie, his songs capture the humor, struggles, and everyday triumphs of ordinary life with warmth and authenticity.
Joining him is Rucksack Revolution, the dynamic duo of Sarah Vos (Dead Horses) and Adam Greuel (Horseshoes & Hand Grenades). Blending soaring melodies, close harmonies, and thoughtful songwriting, the pair creates music that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.
About Chicago Farmer
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. His small town roots, tilled with city streets mentality, are turning heads North and South of I-80.
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.
About Rucksack Revolution
Rucksack Revolution is the melding of two of Wisconsin’s most recognized modern singer-songwriters. Adam Greuel, of the high-energy string band Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, and Sarah Vos, of the folk-inspired Dead Horses, draw from broad musical influences ranging from Leonard Cohen to Fleetwood Mac to Gillian Welch & David Rawlings to bring you a show that will be mostly focused on original material. The duo’s chemistry as musical partners and dear friends is apparent as their music features tight harmonies, introspective lyricism, and soaring melodies.
Their first album Rucksack Revolution was recorded at the famed Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, MN and released in 2022. The record gained the attention of fans and promoters alike and the duo soon began appearing at festivals and small theaters throughout the Midwest. The live show typically features original songs from that first album, some select originals from the Horseshoes & Hand Grenades and Dead Horses repertoires, and a number of cover songs by artists that the pair have been deeply inspired by.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Nick and Lorie Howley
Blue Heaven, Gordon and Meridyth McIntosh, Doug and Sherri Montgomery, Marilyn and John Rintamaki, Nell Smets, Michael Blades and Kathy Kilroy
Series originated by Jay Scott
