Larry Groce Remembers Todd Snider
“I called him the Mountain Stage poet laureate, and I wasn’t joking.” -Larry Groce
Todd Snider walked on the edge of the cliff for so long that I thought he would never fall off. But now he has fallen and left a lot of us heartbroken.
He first performed on Mountain Stage in February of 1995 and then came back 16 more times. It wasn’t enough. Yes, he had big talent and an act and a schtick that was very, very good, but he also had the power of innocence and vulnerability that only real artists show in their work. They can’t help it. Todd was an archetype of what Mountain Stage was created to present.
I called him the Mountain Stage poet laureate, and I wasn’t joking. When he was at his best, his sets weren’t just five great songs, they were half-hour works of art as complete as short plays. You couldn’t edit them without ruining them. Check out the example above. He sang for and about people who are mostly deplored or ignored, and he did it wisely, naturally, and humorously. Like the couple sitting in a cheap motel in “Just Like Old Times”:
“No sir officer you don’t understand
We’re just two old friends drinkin’ wine
I’m sure she is but that’s not all she is
She’s also an old friend of mine
I got her high school picture right here in my wallet, 1982
No sir officer no offense taken You have a good night, too”
Todd had his demons like we all do, but they weren’t who he was. I believe he liked coming on Mountain Stage, not just because we admired and enjoyed him. I think it was partly because “the old mainstream” doesn’t really flow through West Virginia, and he felt at home. At least I hope he did.
-Larry Groce
(Mountain Stage Co-founder, longtime host, and artistic director)
- Keep scrolling for photos and links to more sets from Todd via NPR Music.
Todd Snider On Mountain Stage Over The Years:
Photos by Brian Blauser, Amos Perrine, Josh Saul and Chris Morris.
