Todd Snider, Alt-Country Singer-Songwriter, Dies at 59
Todd Snider, the acclaimed alt-country singer-songwriter known for hits like “Alright Guy,” has died at the age of 59. The news was announced via his official social media channels. While a specific cause of death was not initially disclosed, his family revealed on Friday he had recently been hospitalized with pneumonia.
His record label, Aimless, Inc., shared a statement on Instagram, describing Snider as their “Founder, our Folk Hero, our Poet of the World…the Storyteller.” The statement continued, “He relayed so much tenderness and sensitivity through his songs, and showed many of us how to look at the world through a different lens.” They highlighted his dedication to songwriting, noting he ”got up every morning and started writing, always working towards finding his place among the songwriting giants” like Guy Clark, John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, and jerry Jeff Walker.
Snider had previously been open about his struggles with chronic pain stemming from spinal stenosis. Earlier in May, his tour was cut short prior to a scheduled performance in Salt Lake City, with his team citing “severe injuries as the victim of a violent assault” outside his hotel.
Following the announcement, Salt Lake City police reported they had no record of the alleged assault. Snider was subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct, and body-camera footage showed him informing officers he was in pain. When asked about his housing situation, he stated he was “famous,” explaining his band had departed after the show’s cancellation.
Born in Portland, Oregon, Snider moved to northern California after high school and later settled in Texas during the 1980s, where he was mentored by jerry Jeff Walker. By the 1990s, he had established himself as a prominent figure in the east Nashville music scene.His 2004 album, East Nashville Skyline, is considered a landmark release in the alt-country genre.
