Todd Snider — the freewheeling American artist known for his sharp wit and decades of genre-blending songwriting — has died. He was 59.
His record label confirmed the news Saturday, announcing the singer-songwriter died Friday in a heartfelt message shared on his social media accounts.
“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?” the statement read.
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The statement described Snider as a musician “always creating rhyme and meter that immediately felt like an old friend or a favorite blanket” and someone who “could almost always find the humor in this crazy ride on Planet Earth.”
Snider’s final weeks were marked by turbulence and tragedy.
Earlier this month, he canceled his tour after sustaining “severe injuries as the victim of a violent assault” in Utah, his team stated online.
Snider called off his High Lonesome and Then Some Tour after the alleged assault and was treated at Holy Cross Hospital, NBC News reported. He was allegedly discharged against his will.
After his hospital stay, the “Just Like Old Times” singer allegedly returned to the medical center and was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct, trespassing and making a violent threat, according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
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The canceled tour was meant to support his latest album, “High, Lonesome and Then Some,” released in October.
Critics praised the album, dubbing Snider “a singer-songwriter with the persona of a fried folkie” and a “stoner troubadour and cosmic comic,” according to The Associated Press.
Snider’s career spanned three decades, and his influence stretched far beyond his own recordings.
He drew inspiration from — and at times learned directly from — legends like Guy Clark and John Prine. His songs were recorded by the likes of Jerry Jeff Walker, Billy Joe Shaver and Tom Jones, and he even co-wrote a track with Loretta Lynn for her 2016 album “Full Circle.”
“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,” his label shared.
“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.”
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Snider’s breakthrough work came in the early 2000s with Prine’s independent label Oh Boy Records, including acclaimed albums “New Connection,” “Hotel Rooms” and “East Nashville Skyline,” which his fans considered to be some of his best work.
Songs like “I Can’t Complain,” “Beer Run” and “Alright Guy” cemented his reputation as a unique voice in American music.
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Born and raised in Oregon, Snider refined his sound in San Marcos, Texas, before eventually moving to Nashville, where he earned the unofficial title “mayor of East Nashville,” immortalized in his track, “Train Song.”
Even in recent years, he remained deeply connected to the city’s vibrant arts community.
Snider’s early career was boosted by Jimmy Buffett, who signed him to Margaritaville Records and released his first two albums, “Songs for the Daily Planet” (1994) and “Step Right Up” (1996).
Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
