Todd Daniel Snider (born 1966) is an American singer-songwriter acclaimed for his eclectic blend of folk, rock, blues, and alt-country. His musical path began in late 1985 in San Marcos, Texas, where he was inspired to write songs after witnessing Jerry Jeff Walker perform. Snider found early mentorship in Kent Finlay and later Keith Sykes, through whom he met and formed a lifelong friendship with fellow songwriter John Prine in 1991.

After an initial development deal with Capitol Records didn't materialize, Sykes facilitated a connection with Jimmy Buffett, leading to Snider signing with Buffett's Margaritaville Records in 1993. This partnership launched his recording career, with his debut album, Songs for the Daily Planet, released in 1994. The album quickly gained recognition, reaching number 23 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and establishing Snider's distinctive voice in the music scene.