Music

Preview By Kevin M. Wilson

kevin@louisville.com
 

Though highly touted by Rolling Stone, Blender, and No Depression for his remarkable artistic abilities, Todd Snider insists that he is a gypsy first and a singer-songwriter second.

“When I was young my family went completely bankrupt and there was no money for me to go to college and there was nothin’ that I was gonna be able to do…so, I just hit the road and began my stint on what you’d call the ‘sofa circuit.’ That was long before I ever considered myself an artist of any kind,” Snider explained from his East Nashville home during a recent phone interview.

It was while drifting through Texas in his late teens that Snider had a musical epiphany of sorts. “I happened to catch a rowdy performance by Jerry Jeff Walker and it occurred to me then and there that, along with Walker, half of the population of Texas could apparently play the guitar and make a living at it. Naturally, I figured I probably could, too, if only I had one to play,” he said.

Once Snider located a suitable instrument and taught himself some chords, a seemingly inexhaustible array of characters (both real and imaginary) began to come to life through his clever wordplay and tasteful accompaniment. Specializing in songs sung from the perspective of the wretched and forlorn, it wasn’t long before folks started to notice that Snider had tapped into something stylistically unique.

Eventually Snider signed with John Prine’s Oh Boy Records label, where he is now afforded the opportunity to cultivate his wicked-smart sense of humor and his generally subversive song-craft in a high-profile setting. His most recent release for Oh Boy, The Devil You Know, was championed by peers, fans and critics alike.

Not surprisingly, Snider’s concerts are also becoming increasingly legendary. A veteran of rehab, and a lover of practical jokes, the man is no stranger to the wilder side of life. And this lived experience beautifully informs his on-stage antics. Moreover, Snider thoroughly enjoys the random and spontaneous interactions with audiences. And he seems to thrive on the freedom and inspiration that the lifestyle of a traveling musician permits.

“In the /files/storyimages/it’s probably good that my livelihood depends on travel. I’m somewhat settled now, but I’m always in search of the kind of wisdom and madness that you aren’t going to find sitting around the house,” Snider said.

As a card-carrying gypsy, Snider’s wanderlust continues to lead him down those interesting roads where source material is always afoot. Accordingly, Todd Snider will return to the River City Saturday March 1 to headline a songwriter showcase at St. Francis of Assisi Parish Hall (1960 Bardstown Road). Also appearing on the bill are John Mann, Tim Easton, and Ray Smith (from Tula). For More Information call 456-6394.