Remembering a legendary singer and songwriter. Recently, it was announced that country/folk singer and songwriter Todd Snider was admitted to the hospital for a previously undiagnosed case of walking pneumonia. The news came after a tumultuous weekend in Salt Lake City where Todd was allegedly assaulted near his hotel, treated at a local hospital, and then arrested after he was begging to be admitted into another local hospital. From the way the announcement from Todd Snider’s friends and family sounded, it seemed like this was a much more serious case: “Hello friends, family, and members of the Shithouse Choir. 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. Right now we’re asking everyone who loves Todd to hold him in your thoughts in whatever way feels right to you. Say a prayer, light a candle, roll one up, send strength, or just keep him close in your heart. You’ve carried him through so much over the years, and he needs that from all of us now more than ever. We’ll share more when there is more to tell. Thank you for surrounding him with so much love, support, and compassion.” View this post on Instagram And unfortunately, on November 15, it was announced that Snider had passed away. He was 59 years old: “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. 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 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.” Since his death, some country and Americana artists, like Jason Isbell and Fiona Prine (widow of John Prine), have shared their condolences and kind words about his legacy, and Cody Canada, the Cross Canadian Ragweed frontman, took a moment during Texas’ Troubadour Festival last night, November 15, to share his thoughts on his late friend. “If I could have a moment of your time, they’re going to tell me to get off the stage, but I’ve been on stage for 32 years, and I’ve known that guy for 15 years, so if anyone’s mad, f***ing bill me. Yesterday, at almost 4:20, that f***er almost made it to 4:20… I lost my hero yesterday. And uh…” Canada pauses, swallowing hard as it’s evident he’s holding back tears. “I know you love him. I just want you to do one thing today, before you do anything, before you go to bed is listen to one song by Todd Snider. And then listen to two songs by Todd Snider, and realize that you f****** missed out on the last 35 years of your life, if you didn’t know him. Listen to that and listen to the truth that he speaks to people because nowadays people are f****** afraid to talk about their g**damn feelings in music. All they want to talk about is beer and Jesus. All they want to do is sell a f****** record. But once upon a time, what people wanted to do was to touch a f****** heart and touch a soul. And that’s what Todd Snider did up until yesterday at 4:13 PM.” Canada then dives right into an emotional cover of Snider’s “I Can’t Complain,” choking up those in the crowd, and those of us watching the moment from home. The song was a perfect choice to cover as the narrator grapples with all of life’s problems. While he feels like he isn’t fitting in and isn’t on the path he wished for himself, instead of being filled with sorrow and bitterness, her puts a humorous spin on his outlook and realizes he has nothing to complain about. Even in some of the darkest moments, the narrator finds a way to be positive. “I got nothin’ to lose, nothin’ to gain It’s like a one-way ticket to cruisin’ the passin’ lane I can’t complain” Just like many of Todd Snider’s colleagues are grappling with his death, they are finding a way to highlight his career and legacy, finding light and positivity in the dark. What a way to honor his friend and hero, and what a way to close out his set at Troubadour Festival. Rest in peace, Todd Snider. @txmusiclive Cody Canada delivers an emotional, heartfelt tribute to Todd Snider—truly a moving moment. #RIP #toddsnider #tribute #livemusic #concert @Troubadour Festival ♬ original sound – TexasMusicLive While you’re here, also fire up Snider’s version of “Can’t Complain.” The post “I Lost My Hero Yesterday” – Cody Canada Delivers Emotional Tribute To Todd Snider At Troubadour Festival first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

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Sometimes the songs just come to you. Benjamin Tod joined the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast to talk about his faith, staying grounded while country keeps changing, doing his best to no longer be an antagonist, why staying true matters to yourself matters now more than ever, and much more. If you’ve ever listened to the often sinister and sincere stylings of Benjamin Tod, you know that the subject matter of his songs can vary from hopeful to as dark as it gets. The country music artist has quite the story to get where he is today – battling drug addiction at a young age, busking to try and make ends meet, and hopping freight trains to travel across the country. And at every stage of his life, he’s patiently waited for the songs to come to him, as he explained to us: “Songs come to me. So it’s like, I didn’t necessarily plan to do anything. I think of songs like clouds. When they come down, you’ve got to get it down right then. It’s taken from the sky… I’m sitting in bed and something comes to mind and I get my phone out and record three seconds of a melody and come back to it a month later.” Some songwriters and artists consider the songwriting experience supernatural, and attest to the same thing that Tod is speaking about there. They’ll just be sitting there, and then all of the sudden a hit song drops in their lap from out of nowhere. It’s a phenomenon that’s hard to explain… though some believe that it’s a special delivery from a higher power. Benjamin Tod isn’t sure how to describe it: “I haven’t thought about that intellectually enough to make a complete statement like that. I see the entire world – the older I get especially – in spiritual terms and in spiritual forces working one way or another. So I would say that a lot of what I do, particularly in the process of writing this record, I would absolutely say there is a deeply spiritual element to it. It’s almost a feeling like you’re just a conductor of something that is happening. It isn’t even yours necessarily.” @whiskeyriff @Benjamin Tod #whiskeyriffraff #whiskeyriff ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff Tod did admit that songs off of the record he’s working on do feel like they’ve been bestowed upon him by God. However, he offered a counterpoint to that… saying that he wasn’t confident that the Jamey Johnson written song Honky Tonk Badonkadonk was a gift from God (Yes, that Jamey Johnson penned that track for Trace Adkins). And Benjamin Tod would know if he was being helped by the Lord. After all, he’s been focusing more and more on his faith in the last six months as he and his wife, Ashley Mae, have a kid on the way. The 34-year-old told us that he’s dove 100% into bettering himself in all aspects of his life – but especially in his relationship with God: “It’s been all encompassing, getting my mind, body and spirit (in shape). I’m going to church every single week, doing Bible in a year and doing a deep dive of the theology. I recommend (that) even if you’re not a Christian. People sort of think lowly of general Christianity and Christian theology, but it’s one of the most intellectually stimulating stories in the history of the world.” @whiskeyriff @Benjamin Tod #whiskeyriffraff #whiskeyriff ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff I’ll second that. You can learn a lot from The Bible… the most important book you’ll ever read. And you can hear a lot more from Benjamin Tod by downloading the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Just search “Whiskey Riff Raff” or click here. We’re also available on Spotify and wherever else you can listen to podcasts. Cheers, y’all. Audio Video The post Benjamin Tod On Songs Seemingly Coming To Him From Above: “There Is A Deeply Spiritual Element To It” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.