Many Questions Remain Surrounding Todd Snider’s Final Days
When it was officially announced on Saturday morning, November 15th that American songwriting legend Todd Snider had died at the age of 59, it left his fans, friends, and the public with more questions than answers. The tragic news came in the aftermath of a sordid and complex series of incidents in Salt Lake City, Utah stemming from Todd’s scheduled appearance at the Commonwealth Room in South Salt Lake on November 1st.
Todd Snider had just released his latest album High, Lonesome, and Then Some on October 17th, and was attempting to go on a proper tour for the first time since 2022 when the issues in Salt Lake City occurred. The Commonwealth Room show was the tour’s second stop. But the show never happened. After Todd Snider claimed he was assaulted on Halloween, October 31st, the tour was cancelled. This was the first indication that something had gone tragically wrong in Salt Lake.
Though some media outlets reported the tour cancellation and the Snider team’s statement on the assault, others dug a little deeper to ask whether there was an active investigation into the alleged assault, if there were any suspects or persons of interest, video footage, photos, or anything else the public could be made aware of to try and find out who the perpetrators were and bring them to justice.
It was through these inquiries where it was revealed that Todd Snider had also been arrested on Sunday, November 2nd at the Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City for suspicion of criminal trespass, threat of violence, and disorderly conduct—two Class B misdemeanors and an infraction. The arrest happened while Todd Snider was seeking treatment at the hospital. This is also where body camera footage of Snider was recorded, and disseminated through local and tabloid media days later.
In the body camera footage, Todd Snider clearly looked distraught, was complaining of “hurting all over,” said multiple times, “I can’t breathe,” and also said that he was cold and just wanted medical treatment. Snider also said at one point that his band had abandoned him, and that he was “famous” along with proclaiming “I’m not homeless.”
For a chronological explanation of the events from Salt Lake City leading up to Todd Snider’s death, see the timeline below.
In the statement about Todd Snider’s death, his team says Snider died from a case of walking pneumonia that turned fatal. This has given rise to concerns that Todd truly was sick and in need of hospitalization in Salt Lake City, and instead was turned away after being profiled as a homeless vagrant. Snider was then arrested and charged, all of which ultimately robbed Snider of critical moments when he could have been treated to potentially save his life, leading up to Snider’s death in a hospital after returning home to Nashville.
However, some in the public want to indict Todd Snider for being a drug addict who was simply turning to the hospital for a fix, and using the claims of an assault and pneumonia as a smoke screen. Others say he was clearly suffering from a mental health episode while engaging in aggressive behavior and was rightfully arrested for berating medical staff. Snider has been open with audiences about his drug use and battles with addiction in the past.
In truth, one, two, or all three of these possibilities could be accurate at the same time, creating the convoluted aspect of this situation that is difficult to give a conclusive determination on at this time. If Todd Snider’s band quit in Salt Lake City as Snider claimed himself, it’s not hard to conclude that he could have been equally as combative to hospital staff, necessitating his removal from the facility. Over the last few years, the stories of Snider cancelling shows last minute, berating audiences, and being generally moody have increased.
Irrespective of everything else though, Todd Snider very well could have been experiencing pneumonia while in Salt Lake City. Walking pneumonia symptoms can progress slowly over 1 to 3 weeks, and become fatal. Symptoms can include fever, which can induce delirium, irritability, and disorientation. It has been confirmed that Snider had staples in his head from a visit to a hospital days prior to the November 2nd arrest due to the alleged assault. If Snider suffered a brain injury or concussion during the assault, this could have resulted in disorientation or other issues as well.
Due to the nature of HIPAA laws that protect the privacy of personal health information, many of the details of Todd Snider’s health situation will not be available to the public unless it’s revealed through his family or representatives, or those details come out in the discovery phase of a trial or legal action. Only an autopsy would be made publicly available, though this would only give details on Snider’s health at the time of his death on November 14th, not when he was denied medical treatment in Salt Lake City on November 2nd. Autopsies usually take 5 to 7 weeks to conduct.
According to multiple sources with information Saving Country Music is still working to confirm, after Todd Snider returned to Nashville from Salt Lake City, he was soon admitted to the Hendersonville hospital after experiencing difficulty breathing, and later transferred to another hospital as his condition worsened. Snider potentially entered the hospital on the evening of Saturday, November 8th where he was eventually diagnosed with pneumonia, and admitted to the ICU.
The pneumonia ultimately turned into sepsis, with Snider either slipping into a coma or being placed in a medically-induced coma before he eventually died on November 14th. When Todd Snider passed away, family and friends had gathered around him, and he’d been unconscious for days.
Irrespective of the specifics of Todd Snider’s situation in Salt Lake City, the prevailing sentiment that many people feel about the death of Todd Snider at 59 is that is was preventable. The details of Todd Snider’s moments in Salt Lake City deserve to be thoroughly investigated and rigorously scrutinized. Regardless of the cause, Todd Snider was giving out both figurative and literal cries for help in Salt Lake City, and those cries were not answered.
The story of Todd Snider’s death parallels the pernicious and rising issue in America where so many individuals fall through the cracks of the medical care, mental health, and legal systems to end up dead or on the street. Todd Snider was a respected musician famous throughout the songwriting world, and still experienced this outcome. Questions must be asked about what happened to Todd Snider, because what happened to Todd Snider could happen to other touring musicians, or any one of us.
Outstanding Questions About Todd Snider:
1. When and how did Todd Snider contract pneumonia?
We know Snider was treated for the alleged assault at a Salt Lake area hospital around October 31st since he had medical staples in his head. Did medical professionals check Snider for further medical issues, and did he complain about further medical issues at that time? Similar to the second hospital Todd Snider visited, did Snider want to stay, and did they discharge him anyway?
2. To what degree or severity was Todd Snider’s behavior at the Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City?
Is there any video surveillance of Todd Snider at the Holy Cross Hospital on November 2nd? Was Todd Snider immediately unruly and combative with hospital staff, or did the incident only escalate after Snider was being denied care? Was Snider profiled as being homeless, and how did this factor in the hospital denying care? Did the hospital make any effort to determine if Snider was suffering from any medical conditions?
When Snider was arrested by the Salt Lake City Police Department at the hospital, was any effort expended to make sure Snider was physically well while in police custody?
3. What is the status of the investigation into the alleged assault of Todd Snider on October 31st?
Police were notified twice of the alleged assault on October 31st, but so far there have been no suspects named, and no more details shared with the public. Will the incident be looked into further now that Snider is dead?
According to sources, Snider was also claiming that he was assaulted in a laundromat in Salt Lake where he sought shelter to get warm at one point, and was also attacked in his jail cell while in police custody. Are these alleged incidents being investigated? What role did the injuries from the assault potentially play in the contraction or severity of the pneumonia and eventual sepsis?
In the statement from Aimless Inc. on November 3rd announcing the cancellation of the tour, it says that Todd Snider was assaulted outside of his hotel. However, local police reports say the assault happened at the venue, the Commonwealth Room, where Snider was scheduled to play on November 1st. Where and when specifically did the alleged assault occur?
UPDATE: After speaking once again to South Salt Lake Police (a different jurisdiction from the Salt Lake City Police Department), they clarified that they received a phone call from a complainant at the Commonwealth Room about Todd Snider’s alleged assault on November 1st, but the alleged assault itself occurred the evening before (October 31st), and not at the Commonwealth Room, clearing up the previous discrepancy.
4. What happened with Todd Snider after he arrived back in Nashville?
At some point, Snider flew back home from Salt Lake City. What happened between the time Snider returned to Nashville and was admitted to the hospital, potentially at around 9 pm on November 8th? Did anything significant happen in the two to four days in between these events that might have contributed to Todd Snider’s deteriorating health? If he should have been admitted to the hospital on November 2nd, why wasn’t he admitted to the hospital immediately after returning to Nashville?
5. What role did drugs play in Todd Snider’s situation, either in Salt Lake City, or before he was admitted to the hospital in Hendersonville?
Snider was suffering from spinal stenosis, and this is the reason he had not been touring since 2022. Was he prescribed painkillers, and did he have them with him in Salt Lake City? Was he seeking treatment for his back pain? How did Snider’s drug history play into the decision by doctors to prescribe him pain medication after the alleged assault, or to not? Was Snider’s body already in a compromised state when he contracted pneumonia due to drug use?
What role did mental health issues and/or drug use play in Snider’s band abandoning him in Salt Lake City? Was Todd Snider fit to tour when he left Nashville?
5. When did Todd Snider die?
A public statement went out to friends and fans on November 14th at 2:33 pm Central asking for thoughts and prayers. Snider’s death wasn’t officially disclosed until 9:06 am November 15th, but multiple sources say he passed on November 14th. Robert Earl Keen announced Todd Snider’s death on the night of November 14th during a private function, for example. Cody Canada at the Troubadour Festival in Texas says he passed away at 4:13 pm on November 14th.
A Timeline of What We Know:
(updating as new information is confirmed)
Friday Oct. 31st – The date the Todd Snider camp claims Snider was “the victim of a violent assault” outside of his hotel room.
Saturday, Nov. 1st at about 3:40 pm– South Salt Lake Police Department officers were called out to investigate “a report of an alleged assault of a 59-year-old male” at the Commonwealth Room by a complainant that was not Todd Snider. However, the actual assault allegedly occurred the evening before. Limited information about the alleged incident was obtained. “At this time, the exact location and details surrounding this incident are unclear,” police later said in a statement.
Editor’s Note: This information has been updated to reflect that South Salt Lake police received a phone call about the alleged assault on November 1st, not October 31st as previously reported.
Saturday, Nov. 1st – Todd Snider’s show at the Commonwealth Room is cancelled with no public notice. Fans say they arrive at the venue and see the touring vehicle parked there, but no show happens. Todd Snider’s band allegedly abandons him.
Sunday, Nov. 2nd – Salt Lake City Police Detective Michael Ruff says Todd Snider flagged a bystander down at 245 S. State Street at about 3:40 pm and asked them to call police. Snider ended up talking to the dispatcher, and told them he’d been assaulted and robbed the night before (potentially the alleged Laundromat assault, not the initial assault on October 31st).
When police arrived “[Snider] basically told [officers] he’d been in town with his band, and the band left him,” says Detective Ruff. “All he could tell [officers] was he was mugged at the venue he was supposed to play at.” Police leave without any further action.
NOTE: Todd Snider did not carry a cell phone. Though he had his passport, other personal belongings including prescriptions and other personal paperwork might have left behind with the band.
Sunday, Nov. 2nd – After the interaction with police, Todd Snider walks (or is transported) two miles east to the Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City where he tries to admit himself for care. When hospital staff refuse to treat him, Snider becomes aggressive, and police are called. Snider is arrested on suspicion of criminal trespass, threat of violence, and disorderly conduct, and taken to jail.
Monday, Nov. 3rd – According to the Salt Lake County Jail, Todd Snider was discharged after spending the night in the county jail. They do not disclose specific times when individuals are discharged.
Monday, Nov. 3rd – Aimless Inc. announces the cancellation of Todd Snider’s High, Lonesome, and The Some tour in a public statement, along with saying he was assaulted outside of his hotel.
Nov. 4 to Nov. 7 – Todd Snider is discharged from the Salt Lake City jail, flies home to Nashville, and is there for a few days before being admitted to the hospital.
Saturday, Nov. 8th – Todd Snider is potentially admitted to the TriStar hospital in Hendersonville, TN, diagnosed with pneumonia, and admitted to the ICU. He’s later transferred to another TriStar hospital as his condition worsens.
Friday, Nov. 14th – A statement is published at 2:33 Central asking for fans, friends, and family to keep Todd Snider in their thoughts and prayers.
Friday, Nov. 14th – Todd Snider passes away (at 4:13 pm according to Cody Canada during a tribute at Troubadour Festival in Texas).
Saturday, Nov. 15th – A statement from Aimless Inc. at 9:06 am confirms Todd Snider’s death.
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