NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — 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 said Saturday in a statement posted to his social media accounts that Snider died 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 had said in a Friday statement that he had been diagnosed with pneumonia at a hospital in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and that his situation had since grown more complicated and he was transferred elsewhere. The diagnosis came on the heels of the cancellation of a tour after Snider had been the victim of a violent assault in the Salt Lake City area, according to a Nov. 3 statement from his management team.
But Salt Lake City police later arrested Snider himself when he at first refused to leave a hospital and later returned and threatened staffers, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
The scrapped tour was in support of his most recent album, “High, Lonesome and Then Some,” which released in October. Snider combined elements of folk, rock and country in a three-decade career. In reviews of his recent albums, The Associated Press called him a “singer-songwriter with the persona of a fried folkie” and a “stoner troubadour and cosmic comic.”
He modeled himself on — and at times met and was mentored by — artists like Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark and John Prine. His songs were recorded by artists including Jerry Jeff Walker, Billy Joe Shaver and Tom Jones. And he co-wrote a song with Loretta Lynn that appeared on 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,” the Saturday statement from his label read. “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.”
Snider would do his best-known and most acclaimed work for Prine's independent label Oh Boy in the early 2000s. It included the albums “New Connection,” “Near Truths and Hotel Rooms” and “East Nashville Skyline,” a 2004 collection that's considered by many to be his best.
Those albums yielded his best known songs, “I Can't Complain,” “Beer Run” and “Alright Guy.”
Snider was born and raised in Oregon before settling and making his musical chops in San Marcos, Texas. He eventually made his way to Nashville, and was dubbed by some the unofficial “mayor of East Nashville,” assuming the title from a friend memorialized thusly in his “Train Song.” In 2021, Snider said a tornado that ripped through the neighborhood home to a vibrant arts scene severely damaged his house.
Snider had an early fan in Jimmy Buffett, who signed the young artist to his record label, Margaritaville, which released his first two albums, 1994's “Songs for the Daily Planet” and 1996's “Step Right Up.”
FILE - Todd Snider reads some of the nominees for the Americana Music Association Awards on Wednesday, May 12, 2010, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Steve Smith took a brilliant reflex catch to end England's obdurate seventh-wicket partnership and then Ben Stokes' defiant half-century ended quickly as Australia set up a victory chase of just 65 for a 2-0 Ashes series lead.
It was a tale of two captains.
England skipper Stokes had dug in, curbing his attacking instincts, to get England through the first three hours on Day 4 unscathed and give the tourists a small lead after starting Sunday 43 runs in arrears in the day-night test at the Gabba.
Stokes shared a 96-run stand with Will Jacks (41) that got England to the brink of the night session, but that ended when Smith — Australia's stand-in captain — took a stunning one-hander diving to his left at slip off Michael Neser's bowling to break the partnership.
That was the momentum changer. The slide then happened quickly, with England losing four wickets for 17 runs to be all out for 241 in its second innings and Neser finishing with a five-wicket haul.
Stokes took a single to reach his 50 from 148 balls, the second-slowest half century of his career. It was only four balls behind the 152 he needed to make 50 at Headingley in 2019, where he scored an unbeaten 135 with the tailenders to guide England to a stunning, unexpected, one-wicket Ashes victory chasing 359.
This time, he didn’t go on. He was caught behind by wicketkeeper Alex Carey standing up to the wickets to Neser.
Stokes twirled his bat in the air in disbelieve and smacked the front of his helmet as he strode off.
At that stage, England was 227-8. Brendan Doggett dismissed Gus Atkinson to make it 231-9, with Smith taking a regulation catch this time. Neser (5-42) and Smith combined to remove Brydon Carse (7) to end the innings.
England had resumed Sunday at 134-6, and took an hour and 36 minutes — 18.2 overs — to score the 43 runs needed to erase the deficit, batting watchfully against an Australian attack.
Stokes dispensed with Bazball and pragmatically set about reviving England's Ashes prospects with a watchful 36 in the first session of the day.
It gave England a 16-run lead at the break but, more important, it kept the day-night match alive at the Gabba and ensured Australia would have to bat again.
The Australian attack bowled a tight line and length and mixed it up with some short-pitch deliveries in an attempt to entice the usually aggressive England batters to have a go.
Stokes and Jacks resisted the temptation for the entire afternoon session, knowing that a wicket would expose the tailenders. It was a completely different approach to England's usual attack-at-all costs mentality that has attracted wide criticism in the first two Ashes tests so far.
Australia won the series-opening test on Day 2 of the scheduled five. At least the second test has gone well into a fourth day.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Australia's Michael Neser, second left, celebrates with teammates the wicket of England's Will Jacks during the second Ashes cricket test match between Australia and England in Brisbane, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
England's captain Ben Stokes lies down after being hit by the ball during the second Ashes cricket test match between Australia and England in Brisbane, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Australia's Michael Neser shows the ball after getting five wickets during the second Ashes cricket test match between Australia and England in Brisbane, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
England's captain Ben Stokes throws bat after loosing his wicket during the second Ashes cricket test match between Australia and England in Brisbane, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
England's captain Ben Stokes plays a shot during the second Ashes cricket test match between Australia and England in Brisbane, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
England's Will Jacks plays a shot during the second Ashes cricket test match between Australia and England in Brisbane, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
England's captain Ben Stokes reacts in the hot condition during the second Ashes cricket test match between Australia and England in Brisbane, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
England's captain Ben Stokes avoids a bouncer during the second Ashes cricket test match between Australia and England in Brisbane, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
