Troubadour, Todd Snider gone before his time at age 59
By: Kevin Vickery
I must have read various versions of that headline at least a dozen times since Todd Snider’s untimely death on November 14th. I’ll also admit that I’ve sat down with intentions of writing my own version of his story at least a dozen or more times but I keep putting it off because I’ve been struggling with exactly what to say about the loss of such a talented and inspirational musician.
A lot about his unique singing writing style and his distinct singing voice can be told just from those other headlines I mentioned. Of course there is the common thread of them all ending by saying he had passed away at 59 years old but the first words vary significantly.
I’ve read, “Singer/Songwriter, Todd Snider”, “Folk Singer, Todd Snider”, “Alt-Country Artist, Todd Snider”, “East Nashville’s Todd Snider”, “Americana Singer, Todd Snider”, and even, “Country Music Superstar, Todd Snider”.
There’s truth in all those versions except maybe for that last one, “Country Music Superstar”. Despite recording 20 albums, writing and co-writing hits with some of the biggest names in music, and his relentless touring over his 30 year career, Todd Snider wasnt exactly a household name. He was way too cool for that.
Today’s standard definition of “Country Music Superstar” is a 20-something year old, mullet flinging “Bro-Country” wannabe in a backwards ball cap churning out over-processed, auto-tuned singles of pop-formula written songs about dirt roads and drinking from Dixie cups to a hip-hop beat with some banjo plucking thrown in for good measure. Of course, that’s just my opinion – I could be right.
I read one reader’s comment on the article with the aforementioned headline who said, “Superstar? – Not hardly… I’ve worked in country radio for over 30 years and I’ve never even heard of this guy!” After reading that I said to a friend, “Yep, that’s sounds about right. – Nothing like bragging about your own ignorance.”
That’s why I chose the word “Troubadour” to describe Todd in my headline. The term originates from French medieval times describing lyric poets who composed and sang music and poetry. They entertained the nobility of the time while also traveling and serving as the primary source for secular music to be made available for all classes of audiences.
With the etymology lesson out of the way, I’ll tell you that a modern day troubadour is exactly what Todd Snider was. He was a folk hero with a poet’s heart and a rebel’s soul.
He lived by his own rules and definition of what it meant to be a troubadour saying, “I’ve been a troubadour for 30 years now. – Traveling’ around, close to the ground, comfort the afflicted, afflict the comfortable.”Adding, “When we came back from the pandemic it didn’t really feel like there was a comfortable to afflict or that it was a time for those type of songs so I felt like the whole theme of the tour became about being free and the troubadour lifestyle which is different than a normal singer. – A normal singer wants to be in show business. – You become a troubadour to get out of business. – You learn to busk so you have something to fall back on and you don’t really come up with an act. – You allow yourself to become a person.” He continued, “You seek adventure and report back. – I would tell anybody listening that if you try and do what I do, absolutely no bad could ever possibly come from it. – I chose the job that I love and I have all the problems that I prayed for and it’s not lost on me why. – I appreciate that you come and sing along to these songs with me.”
Todd told Rolling Stone in a 2023 interview, “I’ve always been into being a troubadour. – I love the chaos, that life of adventure. – That’s what struck me. – I had a predisposition for it”. He added, “I was a hitchhiker and sofa circuit person. – Jerry Jeff made me see that the difference between a free spirit and a freeloader is three chords on the guitar.”
I’ve personally always been a fan of “story songs”. For me that dates back to my childhood when my Grandpa introduced me to songs like Wayne Kemp’s “One Piece at a Time”, made famous by a Johnny Cash, Uneasy Rider by Charlie Daniels and even Arlo Guthrie’s , “Alice’s Restaurant Massacre”which all have not only a great story line but also a comedic element to the tales as well.
Sometimes this comedy comes at the cost of the song or the artist being labeled as a novelty act. I almost made this mistake with Too Snider 31 years ago when he debut with his first album, “Songs From the Daily Planet” which featured his hilarious and cleverly written, hidden bonus track, “Talkin’ Seattle Grunge Blues”. The song which takes listeners on the journey of a young, struggling 1990’s era band who moves to Seattle with hopes of making the big time as part of the grunge movement gives us lyrics like:
Now, to fit in on the Seattle scene,
You’ve gotta do somethin’ they ain’t never seen.
So thinkin’ up a gimmick one day,
We decided to be the only band that wouldn’t play….a note.
Under any circumstances. Silence.
Music’s original alternative. Roots grunge!
The band’s story continues with:
Well, we blew ’em away at the Grammy show,
By refusing to play and refusing to go.
And then, just when we thought fame would last forever,
Along come this band that wasn’t even together….. Now that’s alternative.
Hell, that’s alternative to alternative.
I feel stupid…and contagious!
That record is still my favorite of Todd Snider’s 20 album catalog and also brings us classics like, “My Generation (Part 2), “Alright Guy”, and “Trouble” which went on to be a country radio hit for singer, Mark Chesnutt.
Todd’s writing career also featured success with artists like Robert Earl Keen, Billy Joe Shaver, Jerry Jeff Walker, Jack Ingram, Rick Trevino, Russ Taff, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Loretta Lynn, and Bill & Gloria Gaither all recording songs that he wrote. Even the legendary George Jones, along with Garth Brooks got in on the action recording their version of Todd’s comedic hit, “Beer Run” although there seems to be some friendly discrepancies between the artists about which of them was first to use the, “B-Double-E-Double-R-U-N”phrasing for the similar choruses.
Either way, witty, often, laugh out loud lyrics as heard on, “Beer Run” and, “Statisticians Blues” both from Todd’s, 2002 album, “New Connection” as well as, “Iron Mike’s Main Man’s Last Request from his 2004 album, “East Nashville Skyline” are all part of his signature style that made him a regular on the nationally syndicated morning radio, “Bob and Tom Show”. Like a lot of Gen-X Hoosiers, I’ve been a fan and listener of that program for nearly as long as I can remember which is how I was first introduced to Todd Snider’s music, 30 years ago.
“Bob and Tom Show Producer, Dean Metcalf shared on working with Todd, “Todd Snider was a special guy. – Sweet, talented and funny. – He had an infectious smile that could light up a room. He could take an audience from laughing to crying and anywhere else he wanted to go.” Adding, “I’m just really sad that he’s gone. – Such a huge talent and good dude.” Dean also shared a link to, “Enjoy Yourself” a song that proves that even though not all of Todd’s lyrics are funny, they are all well thought and these seem particularly relevant to reflect upon since his passing:
You worry when the weather’s cold,
You worry when it’s hot.
You worry when you’re doin’ well,
You worry when you’re not.
It’s worry, worry all of the time,
You don’t know how to laugh.
They’ll think of something funny,
When they write your epitaph.
Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think.
Enjoy yourself, while you’re still in the pink.
The years go by as quickly as a wink.
Enjoy yourself. Enjoy yourself.
It’s later than you think.
Enjoy yourself. Enjoy yourself.
It’s later than you think.
Todd lived his early life in Beaverton, OR and then briefly lived in Santa Rosa, CA after high school before making his way to San Marcos, TX in 1985 where he was introduced to the music and songwriting style of the late, Jerry Jeff Walker who became a mentor to Todd. Walker once said, “I think Todd Snider is the best. – By that I mean he had found a way to take his feelings and observations and turn them into songs that can get an audience.”
By 1989 Todd had moved to Memphis, TN to work with songwriter, Keith Sykes and landed a successful residency at a club called, The Daily Planet where he performed weekly to enthusiastic crowd who knew his songs by heart.
Sykes introduced Todd to legendary singer/songwriter, John Prine in 1991 and the two formed a lasting friendship that lasted until Prine’s death in 2020. Prine appreciated Todd’s music and has said, “Todd Snider writes great songs and also is a great performer.- He totally connects with every audience”.
Todd had formed his band, The Nervous Wrecks and was at the tail end of a developmental deal with Capital Records that never really came to fruition in 1994 when he signed a deal with Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville/MCA Records after some successful shows in the opening slot for Buffett. As the ‘90s ended, so did Buffet’s partnership with MCA leading Todd to sign with John Prine’s Oh Boy Records. There he parted ways with The Nervous Wrecks and began performing mostly solo, acoustic shows while utilizing a variety of musicians for the four albums he released while with Oh Boy including the musical and cultural breakthrough, “East Nashville Skyline” in 2004 which is considered to be a genre defining work, critical to the shaping of the alt-country movement.
For the first time in his recording career Todd took full creative control of his record-making process, resulting in an introduction of East Nashville to the larger world, where its influence is still felt to this day. Snider co-produced the record with his old Nervous Wrecks bandmate Will Kimbrough as engineer and on guitar in Eric McCullough’s East Nashville studio. The album reached #28 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart and featured popular songs, “The Ballad of the Kingsmen” and, “Play a Train Song” which went on to be covered by Todd’s early influence, Robert Earl Keen who reflected on Todd, “Todd Snider is a pillar of Americana music. – He brought humor and a stark sense of clarity to the world through his music. – And this scene would not be what it is without his presence and contributions.- He was a friend and there won’t be a day moving forward where he won’t be missed. – A true Alright Guy”.
He spent the next couple years with New Door Records where he released the acclaimed, “The Devil You Know” as a follow up to “East Nashville Skyline as well as another live album while his previous labels were re-releasing compilation albums of Todd’s known music mixed in with some rarities and previously unheard material.
In 2008 Todd Snider launched his own record label, “Aimless Records” where they proudly speak of him with the titles, “ Our Founder, our Folk Hero, our Poet of the World, our Story Teller, and Vice President of the Abrupt Change Department”. The remainder of his works were released through Aimless including, “Peace Queer”, “Agnostic Hymns and Steiner Fables”, “Cash Cabin Sessions Vol 3”, “Crank It, We’re Doomed”, and “Eastside Bulldog”, among others.
In 2013 Todd cofounded jam band supergroup Hard Working Americans (HWA) with Widespread Panic bassist, Dave Schools, Neal Casal on guitar, Chad Staehly on keyboards, and Duane Trucks on drums. HWA released four albums on Melvin Records including a yet to be released album recorded at Cash Cabin.
Todd Snider’s final tour was scheduled in support of his most recent record, “High Lonesome and Then Some”. The album was recorded at his home in East Nashville and is a bit of a departure from his previous recordings. The years leading up to the new record were difficult for him, with a lengthy illness and the loss of friends and mentors such as, John Prine, Jimmy Buffett, Jerry Jeff Walker and Kris Kristofferson who has praised Todd Snider as, “A true American songwriter with a fresh, original spirit and freedom of imagination that’s absolutely his own”. Unfortunately as Snider himself says, “I sing about dead friends more than girls these days”.
In addition to the heavy grief Todd has been carrying, he’s also been through severe physical pain, suffering from spinal stenosis for the last several years. Todd has never been afraid to share his stories of pain, suffering, mental health struggles or even his battles with addiction publicly and he typically channels all those feelings into his music. This time the result is a nine-track record that plays out slowly and deliberately. Snider’s cracking vocals are intentionally laid over simple drums and riffs closer to blues than folk.
Todd discovered the concept of slowing down the pace of life down to something he can process when he began picking a Waylon Jennings song and then overlaid a Bob Marley song on top, creating what he called a “slow choogle,” and that became the theme of the album.
Overall, “High, Lonesome And Then Some” is a well-presented collection of stories set in the world of people in Snider’s age bracket and combines his solid songwriting and performance with the dry humor for which he is so well-known.
Todd had not toured for the last several years due to the aforementioned physical and mental struggles but wanted to hit the road, possibly one last time to support this latest album. As he said to Rolling Stone, “I told my team that I want this tour to be the funnest one. – I at least want to do it one more time. After that, I may just have to do one show at a time, but that’s been coming for a while”.
With that in mind, a 14 show run through the Western US was booked and kicked off in Englewood, CO on October 30th bud sadly that would be Todd Snider’s last performance.
The tour was cut short after an alleged assault on November 1st in Salt Lake City, UT. which led to Snider being hospitalized, arrested, and ultimately, his death from pneumonia two weeks later on November 15, 2025 in Nashville, TN.
That’s the very abbreviated version of what happened to Todd in Salt Lake City. I would recommend that you do your own googling to sort out the various versions of what occurred during Todd’s last days in Utah and draw your own conclusions. Suffice to say there’s a lot of holes in stories starting with a lack of police reports about his alleged attack due to multiple jurisdictions being involved, a lack of accountability by the hospital to take responsibility for not admitting him and administering the care he needed, and finally the discrepancies in the reports of his own management team about the events occurring over those last several days.
I’ll leave the responsibility of properly figuring that all out to the investigative reporters who are accustomed to cutting through the red tape and looking in every crack to get to the bottom of a mysterious case like this. I’m not sure that they ever will because let’s face facts; the only person who really knows what happened is Todd Snider and since he’s gone the honest answers to the many questions may very well simply die with him.
None of that changes the fact the we’ve lost an extremely talented, sharp witted, clever, genuine and sincere wordsmith long before his time. If you’re not familiar with Todd Snider’s music, I hope that reading this will allow you to discover and appreciate it. If you are already a fan of his work, then you knew all this anyway and I’ll just ask you to continue what you’ve already been doing as you remember the influence of this great troubadour. Keep playing his music proudly and loudly enough to wake up the neighbors and always hold closely the memories of his wonderful 90 minute distractions.
With that in mind, I’ll leave you with one last piece of wisdom from his song, “Like a Force of Nature”:
If we never get together again,8
Forgive me for these fools I’ve been.
See if you can remember me when,
I was listening to my better angels.
It’s like a force of nature,
Coming over me.
I can’t keep myself from moving.
It’s like a force of nature.
May your hope always outweigh your doubt,
Until this old world finally punches you out.
May you always play your music,
Loud enough to wake up all of your neighbors
Or may you play at least loud enough,
To always wake yourself up.
— Todd Daniel Snider: 10/11/66 – 11/14/25
To learn more about Todd Snider’s life or to purchase his music and merchandise visit his official website at toddsnider.net.
Make Some Noise 