The Band of Heathens

Illinois-based Cody “Chicago Farmer” Diekhof paired up with Texas’ The Band of Heathens for Flyover Country, independently released February 7. With DJs across the country spinning many of the songs from the album, it is climbing up the Americana and Folk radio charts in an increasingly competitive landscape. In the past few  weeks the album shot up to #18 after debuting at #33 on the Americana Radio Albums Chart and is currently at #9 on the NACC Folk Radio Chart.

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.

The Band of Heathens are currently on tour in the Midwest on their "Green Grass Spring Tour" and paid tribute to Prince at The Castle Theatre last night in Bloomington, IL with their own soulful take on "Purple Rain."

Watch the video here:

Celebrating ten years together, The Band of Heathens is set to embark on a banner year with founding members Ed Jurdi (guitar, keys, vocals) and Gordy Quist (guitar, vocals) along with Trevor Nealon (keys, vocals), Richard Millsap (drums, vocals) and Scott Davis (bass, vocals). Fresh off the boat from the SiriusXM Outlaw Country Cruise, this Austin, TX based world class rock n roll outfit has two new releases slated for 2016.

Celebrating ten years together, The Band of Heathens is set to embark on a banner year with founding members Ed Jurdi (guitar, keys, vocals) and Gordy Quist (guitar, vocals) along with Trevor Nealon (keys, vocals), Richard Millsap (drums, vocals) and Scott Davis (bass, vocals).

It was a great Taos morning, the skies the color of blue you’ll see nowhere else. Festivalgoers were up and eager for the day’s events.

I missed the first two bands on the roster: Greg B and the Gunsels and Sean Healen. I was especially bummed to miss Sean. I understand that the Santa Fe Brewing Company honored him recently with a permanent addition to their fine line of brews, called “Healen’s Big Hat Nut Brown Ale.” He’s famous, not only for his music but for his hats.

The Band of Heathens have released a free eight-song download of live tracks recorded during their most recent East Coast record release tour. The download, Clams & Jams Vol. 1, is available through the band’s website, http://www.bandofheathens.com. The just-released studio effort Sunday Morning Record sits in the top five of the Americana Radio Chart, and rave reviews of the record continue to praise the band for yet another stellar album to add to an already heady catalog.

In the course of their evolution from loose assemblage to world-class rock ’n’ roll outfit, The Band of Heathens has built a potent body of recorded work that’s won the Austin, Texas ensemble a reputation as one of its hometown’s most vital musical resources.

We turned onto Welton Street, in the Five Points section of Denver, and started looking for parking for the Band of Heathens show on Friday, and saw around eight police cars posted out in front of the venue. Upon finding a spot a few blocks away, we loaded the glass, negotiated our way through a couple of bands of mooching crackheads and over to Cervantes.

The Band of Heathens is a touring machine. Friday night was their third trip to Colorado this year, the second in support of their 2011 LP Top Hat Crown & The Clapmaster’s Son (released March 29th).

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