He recorded 14 studio albums and his songs included Alright Guy and Talking Reality Television Blues, covered by Sir Tom Jones.
A much-loved music star has died aged 59. Tributes were paid today to American singer-songwriter Todd Snider, days after he was forced to cancel tour dates having sustained serious injuries following what was described as “a violent assault” outside his hotel.
His Instagram page reported yesterday that he had been admitted to hospital after returning home to recover, and a further update today informed his devastated fans that the star had sadly “departed this world”. It said he had been suffering from an undiagnosed case of pneumonia.
Todd’s music incorporated folk, rock, blues, alt country, and funk. He recorded 14 studio albums and his songs included Alright Guy and Talking Reality Television Blues, which was covered by Sir Tom Jones. In 2021, he was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame in his hometown of Portland.
A statement announcing Todd’s death on his Instagram page read: “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 favourite blanket. Someone who could almost always find the humor in this crazy ride on Planet Earth.”
It 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.
“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 favourite Todd Snider records and ‘play it loud enough to wake up all of your neighbours 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.”
An update on November 3 informed fans that Todd’s High, Lonesome and Then Some 2025 tour dates were having to be cancelled. It read: “Ahead of Todd Snider’s show in Salt Lake City, Todd sustained serious injuries as the victim of a violent assault outside of his hotel.
Source: Mirror
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