Folk singer-songwriter Todd Snider, whose songs like “Alright Guy,” “I Can’t Complain” and “Beer Run” captivated fans of the Americana music scene for three decades, died on Nov. 14. He was 59.
According to the singer’s publicist, Snider died in Nashville, Tennessee, and the cause was pneumonia.
“Where do we find the words for the one who always had the right words, who knew how to distill everything down to its essence with words and song while delivering the most devastating, hilarious, and impactful turn of phrases?” a statement on Snider’s social media accounts read. “Always creating rhyme and meter that immediately felt like an old friend or a favorite blanket. Someone who could almost always find the humor in this crazy ride on Planet Earth.”
Earlier this month, Snider canceled the remaining dates of his tour after he was involved in an assault outside his hotel in Salt Lake City, where he was scheduled to perform. His management announced the assault in a statement on Nov. 3.
It was later revealed that Snider had been arrested and booked for disorderly conduct. According to Salt Lake City police, Snider initially refused to leave an area hospital and later returned and threatened staff members.
Body camera footage of his arrest outside an area hospital was released, showing Snider telling officers that he was in pain.
“I’m not homeless,” Snider said. “I live in Nashville. I have a band. I’m famous. My band ditched me. I need my lawyer here. I’m not a bad person, I promise.”
Snider was born on Oct. 11, 1966, in Portland, Oregon. He left home when he was 16 and lived with friends around the country, traveling to Austin, Texas, and then to Memphis, Tennessee.
Snider was noticed by Jimmy Buffett in Memphis and was signed to the singer’s Margaritaville label. He later signed on with Prine’s label, Oh Boy Records.
Snider was mentored and/or influenced by Buffett, John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker and Kris Kristofferson.
His songs were recorded by artists including Walker, Billy Joe Shaver and Tom Jones. Snider also co-wrote a song with Loretta Lynn that appeared on the country music star’s 2016 album, “Full Circle.”
Snider released at least 15 albums, starting with “Songs for the Daily Planet” in 1994. He followed with “Step Right Up” (1996), “Viva Satellite” (1998), “Happy to Be Here” (2000) and “East Nashville Skyline” (2004).
His latest album was “High, Lonesome and Then Some,” which was released on Oct. 17.
Snider was also known to fans of the Adult Swim animated series “Squidbillies” for his frequent appearances in Season 5. He played both Lobster Freak and himself and sang the show’s theme song in one episode.
In 2014, Snider published a memoir, “I Never Met a Story I Didn’t Like: Mostly True Tall Tales.” A book about his work, “East Nashville Skyline: The Songwriting Legacy of Todd Snider,” was published earlier this year.
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