Todd Snider, a 59-year-old singer-songwriter widely recognized as “the face of” Nashville’s alternative rock and alt-country scenes, has passed away. Snider was known for his influential album *East Nashville Skyline* and for founding his own record label. On November 15, a post on Snider’s official Instagram page confirmed his death.
The cause of Todd Snider’s death has not been formally released by his friends or family. However, a statement posted on his Instagram page on November 14 provided insight into his health struggles leading up to his passing. According to that post, Snider had been hospitalized with walking pneumonia, an illness he had been quietly battling.
The statement read:
“We have some difficult news to share. After Todd returned home to recover last week, he began having trouble breathing and was admitted to the hospital in Hendersonville, TN. We learned from his doctors that he had been quietly suffering from an undiagnosed case of walking pneumonia. Our beloved brother’s condition has become more complicated, and he’s since been transferred for additional treatment. His care team and those closest to him are by his side and doing everything they can.”
In addition to his health issues, Snider had faced personal challenges over the years. TMZ reported that he struggled with substance abuse. Earlier in November, Fox13 shared police bodycam footage of an incident involving Snider’s arrest for disorderly conduct in Utah. During the incident, Snider was seen complaining about pain and expressing a need for medication. He later claimed he was assaulted; however, Fox13 noted that no evidence of such an incident was found. This arrest reportedly occurred shortly after Snider was released from the hospital.
In a heartfelt statement, Snider’s record label, Aimless, Inc., expressed their grief and celebrated his legacy:
“Aimless, Inc. Headquarters is heartbroken to share that our Founder, our Folk Hero, our Poet of the World, our Vice President of the Abrupt Change Dept., the Storyteller, our beloved Todd Daniel Snider has departed this world. 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? 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.”
They 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. 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. Guy Clark, John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Jerry Jeff Walker.”
The statement concluded with a tribute to Snider’s storytelling and music:
“How do we move forward without the one who gave us countless 90-minute distractions from our impending doom? The one who always had 18 minutes to share a story? We’ll do it by carrying his stories and songs that contain messages of love, compassion, and peace with us. Today, put on one of your favorite Todd Snider records and ‘play it loud enough to wake up all of your neighbors or at least loud enough to always wake yourself up.’ We love you, Todd. Sail on old friend, we’ll see you again out there on the road somewhere down the line. You will always be a force of nature.”
Todd Snider’s passing is a profound loss to the music world, particularly within Nashville’s alternative and alt-country communities. His songwriting, characterized by wit, humor, and deep emotional insight, left a lasting imprint on fans and fellow musicians alike. As his friends and family requested, fans continue to honor his memory by keeping him close in their hearts and celebrating the legacy of his songs.
https://www.complex.com/music/a/jessica-mcbride/todd-snider-cause-of-death-how-did-the-country-star-die
