Chloe Hoecker’s music is driven by heart and reflects her rural roots
by Sara Schafer
Photos by Sara Schafer and Ricki Spargo
“They ask me why I stay here in Missouri, when the music runs along the Tennessee, and I don’t intend to cross that ‘ole Red River, when this muddy water feels like home to me.”
After these soulful opening lines of “Missouri River Run,” Chloe Hoecker shifts from singer to storyteller, revealing who she is: a rising young singer whose love for her home state shapes both her sound and her story.
“People ask when are you going to move to Nashville? And I always say, ‘I’m not.’ I’ve been there, and I don’t want to live there,” she says. “There’s not that many artists from Missouri, and I want to make sure people know Missouri is where I’m from. It’s a special place to me.”
Listen to any of Chloe’s eight original songs and you’ll quickly get a sense of her rural St. Elizabeth upbringing, Missouri pride and her immense talent. Her honest lyrics, powerful voice and sweet-and-sassy personality allow her to command any room with a microphone. She’s performed on hundreds of mid-Missouri stages, playing to thousands of new and old fans.
“I love fiddle; I usually say my music is Country Americana,” says Chloe, a Three Rivers Electric Cooperative member. “Going forward my music will definitely be more Americana. I don’t listen to pop country, and I don’t really like it that much. So, I don’t want to be in that box.”
Performer from birth
Chloe has few memories that don’t involve music. “In kindergarten I wrote down I’m going to be a singer, and I never changed my mind,” she says. “I guess I’m stubborn.”
Since she could talk, Chloe also sang. She started playing guitar when she was just 9. “One of my dad’s friends came over every other Friday night, and he would teach me a couple chords at a time,” she says.
Before long, Chloe knew everything the family friend, Randy Voss, knew. By age 11, Chloe started performing a few songs with Randy’s band at local bars. Young Chloe fell in love with the stage and connecting with the audience.
“It’s taken me long enough to learn how to play guitar well, because instruments aren’t my main focus,” she says. “I really just like singing and performing.”
Microphone and stage
Chloe graduated from St. Elizabeth High School in 2022. She tried college but realized her heart wasn’t in it. She needed to be writing songs and belting them out on stage. She went all in on music and hasn’t looked back.
Over a 10-day span last May, Chloe performed 11 live shows in 10 different towns. She’s a regular at the Lake of the Ozarks’ Neon Taco, Boonville’s Hotel Frederick and Jefferson City’s West Main Pizza. Most shows are acoustic, just Chloe, a microphone, guitar and foot tambourine.
Some shows focus on cover songs where the crowd sings along and shouts out requests. She’ll play the songs by her favorite artists, including Patsy Cline, Kaitlin Butts, Roger Miller, Tammy Wynette and Sierra Ferrell. Other shows showcase Chloe’s original tunes. “If it’s a ticketed show where I’m playing originals, I love to hear people’s reactions to my songs,” she says. “If I’m playing mostly cover songs, it’s fun when people are very interactive and throw me lots of requests. It’s always fun when people come talk to me at my merch booth.”
Songs she pens
In the last few years, Chloe has leaned into writing her own songs. She’s written eight original ones, which fans can find on streaming platforms such as Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, Apple Music and her website.
Chloe writes all of her songs in notebooks. The pages are filled with catchy lines, flowing phrases and title ideas. “I start with a title, because if I don’t start with a title, I’ll get to the chorus, and then there’ll be nothing to name it after,” she says. “I’ve written a ton, but I like only around 20 of them.”
Sometimes Chloe pens an entire song in 20 minutes, while others take months or even years to complete. “My songs have to be perfect before I say they are finished,” she says. “So, I can’t rush it.”
Chloe’s song lyrics often read like poetry and offer a surprise or two. In “Bless Your Heart,” she puts a different take on a classic southern cliche. “Born to Love” details why it may be a good idea to let yourself be alone for a while so you don’t lower your standards. Her latest song, “Apple Juice,” is a fun country track that proves you don’t need alcohol references to have a good time.
Several times a year, Chloe heads to Nashville to play live shows and cowrite songs. Due to fan demand, Chloe will be releasing her first album on vinyl and CD later this year. Titled “Missouri’s Country Sweetheart,” the piece of art will feature six songs. It will be produced by Sean Giovanni at The Record Shop in Nashville.
A modern musician
Chloe wears every musical hat. She writes songs, books her own shows, sells her own T-shirts and hats after shows and manages all her social media. The social media responsibility can take up many hours, as it’s the prime outlet for an independent artist to push out their material.
“Social media creates so many connections, and connections are so important in this industry,” Chloe says. “That’s why I like to go to Nashville pretty often, just to make connections with people and to know as many people as I can in the industry.”
Some independent artists may write original music and play shows but not post to social media, while others post music on social media but don’t play in-person shows. “For an artist to really get recognition, they usually have to do both,” she says.
Beyond her unique music, Chloe also strives to have a memorable look. “I like vintage fashion, and I feel like it helps me stand out,” she says. “I like antique shopping and thrifting, so it’s a win-win if I can do that and get clothes to wear on stage.”
As Chloe looks to the future, she plans to write more music and perform on more Missouri stages. She already has many shows booked for 2026. Before long, she hopes her sets will feature mostly her original songs — and that people are buying a ticket to come see her. Maybe 10 years from now, she’ll even headline her own tour.
“I hope I’ll be doing music for a long time and traveling all over,” Chloe says. “I hope to be married with kids and still living in Missouri. When I am home, I’d like it to be in Missouri.”
To listen to Chloe’s music, learn more and find her current shows, visit chloehoeckermusic.com.
You can email Sara Schafer at sschafer@ruralmissouri.coop.