East Nashville Skyline: The Songwriting Legacy of Todd Snider (Gary Hartman Texas Music Series, Sponsored by the Center for Texas Music History, Texas State University)

In his introduction, author Brian T. Atkinson calls singer-songwriter Todd Snider “a marvel and a mystery” who “creates at any cost.” Snider, originally hailing from the Portland, Oregon, area, arrived in Texas as a teen and was captured by the troubadour life while at a Jerry Jeff Walker show at venerable Gruene Hall in 1986. He honed his craft for the next three years at the feet of legendary muse and mentor Kent Finlay at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos. After moving to Nashville—or, more properly, East Nashville—around the turn of the twenty-first century, Snider has garnered a loyal following from regular fans to influential industry leaders like MCA Records executive Tony Brown, iconic producer Don Was, respected artists like Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Jason Isbell, and Hollywood heroes such as the late comedian Richard Lewis and notorious scenester Pamela Des Barres (I’m with the Band).