INTERVIEW: Ed Snodderly On The Bare-Bones Art of Songwriting

Ed Snodderly has been in the game for a long time. His 1977 debut, Sidewalk Shoes, kick-started a career that his included the Brother Boys (with Eugene Wolf) and covers by Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, John Cowan, Missy Raines, and others. Snodderly has also taught songwriting at Eastern Tennessee State University — Amythyst Kiah was one of his students. Snodderly’s latest album, Chimney Smoke, features Shawn Camp, Steve Conn, and Steve Hinson and was the final project of Grammy-winning engineer Bill VornDick.

In our interview, Snodderly discusses his musical origins, how he approaches songs, and the guiding principles of his venue The Down Home.

Who are some of your musical influences?

I’ve been playing music for a long time! My first influences were family members on my dad’s side. Several of them were musicians, and they played at dances in the 1930s. My grandfather was an old-time fiddler and a farmer. One time, at a family reunion, my grandpa asked me, “What have you been listening to?” What a great question; I couldn’t wait to answer him! I’ve not stopped answering that question yet. 

Fast forward a few years to spending a lot of time in Nashville. I was just out of high school and I liked to go to the early Exit/In. I saw so many great performers there who still inspire me today. Norman Blake and Guy Clark reigned high. Often, I’ve been influenced by an artist’s demeanor. Pete (Oswald) Kirby fell into that category as a friendly man and a great musician. He played dobro with Roy Acuff and also worked the counter at Roy Acuff’s Exhibits next door to Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge in Nashville. Today, I find myself listening for the good song, the good story. There are so many great writers and performers today, but I like the ones where you feel the realness of their music. There are so many great writers and performers, but I like the ones where you feel the realness in their music: Mickey Newberry, Gretchen Peters, Jerry Douglas, Nat King Cole, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael…

Do you have any songwriting tips you can share?

I learned from Tom T. Hall how to describe an approach to the world of songwriting. Three words: inspiration, observation, and creative urge. I’ve been leading a songwriting class at East Tennessee State University for some time now. It’s a great class in that we have a great time. Sometimes, it gets complicated, and that’s where I step in. A student might have a full page of lyrics written down, and nothing is coming together. I’m usually able to find one line that might possibly rocket this song somewhere. If you don’t have someone to share ideas with, that’s where you as a writer have to change hats and look at the work with a good eye and perspective.  Songwriting is a bare-bones art.  It’s got musical accompaniment, and it’s like air. You fill up the glass with an idea and hold it long enough to get the lid back on. Then the work begins with the re-write, the shaping, and the arranging.  I like to tell students a song begins like you’re meeting someone; The first line is a “Hello.” The next line might be, “Where are you from?” Maybe the third line is, “What do you do?” As far as lyrics versus music coming first, I personally begin with whatever gets me off the starting blocks; usually, a rhythmic feel and then a conjuring of words that might make some sense. I’m not afraid to not know what I’m doing!

How are you using your platform to support marginalized people?

I play music where I’ve been invited in. Whether that’s for a festival, music venue, house concert, nursing home, or family reunion. I don’t sing a song to make someone feel bad, or unimportant, or guilty. I sing a song that might get someone’s attention to a detail or issue that I personally care about, and, in turn, this may reach someone in the audience. It’s been said of me that I sing from a sense of place. The marginalized people of Appalachia have had their stories told many times. The story told today is a remembrance that the people of the mountains had a hard time and survived through difficult circumstances. Some of my songs speak to the resourcefulness of these people, my people. More and more, the mountain way is now absorbed into a larger scope of the southern region; the people are not as isolated as they once were, but still, there are new issues to be addressed. Survival issues still exist,  only now it’s how do we address those issues; how do mountain people hold on to heritage and keep their resilient nature and wisdom for today’s many life-changing choices? Simply put, it’s about keeping the soul, the soul as a people, as a land, and truth to the lineage of our ancestors. The lasting soul.

First verse to Chimney Smoke: “Remember when they thought we didn’t wear shoes? Had a little laugh at the way we talked, too. Rolled your eyes ‘cause your granny knew, Throwing nothing away you might can use.”

Chorus:  “I wanna ask, you might laugh, what’s it worth to sing this song? Can’t let get lost can’t let get gone. See an old man coming up the road, something on his back, I want to lighten his load.”

Explain the title of your album.

In the 4th verse of the title track Chimney Smoke I wrote this lyric: “…and friendly to a stranger’s talk like chimney smoke blows through the crops”. That image of chimney smoke blowing through the landscape of one’s mind struck me as the perfect metaphor for these collected songs.

What’s your biggest pet peeve about venues?

I don’t like a dirty venue, a dirty stage, or nasty mics.

I don’t like when patrons are noisy, and the staff does nothing to quiet them down.

I don’t like a listening room that is homogenized or pretentious.

I don’t like smelly bathrooms!

I don’t like it if the venue does not address the audience, to welcome them or speak about upcoming artists for a show. 

I don’t like a venue where the staff could care less that you are performing.

I like a venue to play tasteful house music.

I like a venue to offer hospitality.

I like a venue to be a room where other community events take place, like fundraisers, memorials, political rallies, etc. 

I like a venue to promote the best in music, poetry, and spoken word. 

I like a venue that nurtures up-and-coming performers by providing a stage for gaining experience.

I’ve owned and operated a venue, The Down Home, since 1976, so I have a lot to say on this subject!

Who would you love to collaborate with? Why?

Dead: Robert Frost. Because he appreciated fence posts!

Alive: Madonna would be interesting to hang out with…a daredevil. She’d push me into a different genre, I bet. Actually, I’d love to swap lines with Patti Smith someday. Two worlds colliding!

Chimney Smoke is out now and available everywhere.

Ed Snodderly —