Billy Strings & Greensky Bluegrass ‘Play A Train Song’ For Todd Snider

Shortly after learning about the death of Todd Snider, both Billy Strings and Greensky Bluegrass separately honored the singer-songwriter by performing his song, “Play A Train Song,” at their respective concerts Saturday night. Strings’ tribute to Snider, who died Friday, November 14 at age 59, occurred at Newark’s Prudential Center, while GSBG paid their respects while appearing at the Miami Beach Bandshell.

Strings began his concert with his first public performance of “Play A Train Song.” Snider included the song on his 2004 album, East Nashville Skyline. After an early-set offering of “Ridin’ That Midnight Train,” Strings paused the show to relay a memory of Snider.

A transcript of what Billy told the audience follows:

“That’s a little train song for our brother Todd … What can you say about Todd Snider? Besides that, he was a real troubadour, a real rambling man if I ever met one. And I’d just like to tell this one little story.

“It must have been way back – I can’t remember – 2017, ‘18 or so. We played in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, I think it was, at some festival. We played there, and then the next night [Snider’s band] Hard Working Americans played.

“I had this denim jacket. It was a Levi’s jacket, and I had found this old patch, this cool patch that said “Panama Red,” and I sewed that bitch on there. I thought I was real cool with my Panama Red patch, my vintage patch that I sewed on myself … Real hip.

“So then, we played that gig and I left that coat sitting there in the green room. And I’m like, ‘Oh, fuck, that’s my favorite jacket.’

A day or two later, I looked online and I saw a picture of Todd Snider wearing that fucking coat. And I said, ‘Well, shit, that’s even cooler.’ What a fucking badass.”

Greensky Bluegrass took the age stage in Miami around the same time Strings was paying tribute to Snider. GSBG dobro player Anders Beck echoed Strings’ sentiment, calling Snider a “fucking badass” and “one of the great songwriters and people.”

Beck and his bandmates then pulled out “Play A Train Song,” which they performed at least once before in 2009. Mandolinist Paul Hoffman handled lead vocals.

Scroll on for video and audio of the “Play A Train Song” tributes to Todd Snider below: