NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Todd Snider, a singer whose thoughtfully freewheeling tunes and cosmic-stoner songwriting made him a beloved figure in American roots music, has died. He was 59.
His record label announced Snider’s death on Saturday in a statement posted to his social media accounts, revealing he passed away Friday.
“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. “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.”
Snider’s family and friends shared in a Friday statement that he had been diagnosed with pneumonia at a hospital in Hendersonville, Tennessee. His condition had since become more complicated, and he was transferred to another facility.
This diagnosis followed the cancellation of a tour after Snider was reportedly the victim of a violent assault in the Salt Lake City area, according to a November 3 statement from his management team. However, the Salt Lake Tribune later reported that Salt Lake City police arrested Snider himself after he initially refused to leave a hospital and then returned, allegedly threatening staffers.
The scrapped tour was in support of his most recent album, *High, Lonesome and Then Some*, which was released in October.
Over a career spanning more than three decades, Snider skillfully blended elements of folk, rock, and country. The Associated Press described him as a “singer-songwriter with the persona of a fried folkie” and a “stoner troubadour and cosmic comic” in reviews of his recent albums.
He modeled himself on, and at times was mentored by, acclaimed artists such as Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark, and John Prine. Snider’s songs were recorded by notable musicians including Jerry Jeff Walker, Billy Joe Shaver, and Tom Jones. He also co-wrote a song with Loretta Lynn featured on her 2016 album, *Full Circle*.
The label’s statement reflected on Snider’s talent: “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,” the statement continued, “those same giants who let him into their lives and took him under their wings, who he studied relentlessly.”
Snider’s best-known and most acclaimed work came on John Prine’s independent label, Oh Boy Records, in the early 2000s. Albums such as *New Connection*, *Near Truths and Hotel Rooms*, and *East Nashville Skyline*—the latter released in 2004 and widely regarded as his finest work—earned him critical praise.
These albums produced some of his most familiar songs, including “I Can’t Complain,” “Beer Run,” and “Alright Guy.”
Born and raised in Oregon, Snider later honed his musical skills in San Marcos, Texas, before relocating to Nashville. There, he earned the affectionate title of the unofficial “mayor of East Nashville,” a role he assumed from a friend memorialized in his song “Train Song.”
In 2021, Snider revealed that a tornado had severely damaged his house in the East Nashville neighborhood, home to a vibrant arts scene.
Todd Snider’s legacy endures through his music, marked by wit, warmth, and a uniquely heartfelt perspective on life.
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/15/nx-s1-5609897/todd-snider-obit
