Americana Troubadour Todd Snider Dies at 59
Todd Snider, a celebrated Americana singer-songwriter known for his blend of folk, rock, and country, has died at age 59. His family and friends announced his passing on Friday, stating he was initially diagnosed with pneumonia at a hospital in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and his condition afterward became more complicated, requiring a transfer to another facility.
Snider’s three-decade career saw him mentored by and collaborate with artists like Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark, and John Prine. His songs were recorded by jerry Jeff Walker, Billy Joe Shaver, and Tom Jones, and he co-wrote a song with Loretta Lynn that appeared on her 2016 album, “Full Circle.”
He released his most recent album, “High, Lonesome and Then Some,” in October. the Associated Press described Snider as a “singer-songwriter with the persona of a fried folkie” and a “stoner troubadour and cosmic comic” in reviews of his recent work.
Snider began his recording career in the early 1990s, signing with Jimmy Buffett’s margaritaville Records and releasing “Songs for the Daily Planet” in 1994 and “Step Right up” in 1996. He later found a home with John Prine’s Oh Boy Records in the early 2000s, releasing critically acclaimed albums including “New Connection,” “Near Truths and Hotel Rooms,” and “East Nashville Skyline” (2004), considered by many to be his best.
Among his best-known songs are “I Can’t Complain,” “Beer Run,” and “Alright Guy.”
Born and raised in Oregon, Snider honed his musical skills in San Marcos, Texas, before settling in Nashville, where he was affectionately known as the unofficial “mayor of East Nashville.” He survived a tornado in 2021 that damaged his home in the East Nashville neighborhood.
In November 2023,Snider was briefly arrested in Salt Lake City after a violent assault led to the cancellation of a tour and subsequent incidents at a hospital,according to reports from the salt Lake Tribune.
“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,” a statement from his label read. “He got up every morning and started writing, always working towards finding his place among the songwriting giants that sat on his record shelves, those same giants who let him into their lives and took him under their wings, who he studied relentlessly.”
