Todd Snider paid tribute to one of his idols, the late Billy Joe Shaver, with a cover of “Live Forever”, as seen during the November 1st edition of Snider’s new livestream series, The First Agnostic Church of Hope and Wonder.
This retooled version of what was formerly known as Snider’s What It Is series once again sees the venerable folk singer-songwriter going live from The Purple Building in East Nashville. Only this time, the format has pivoted to a “virtual tent revival” that will feature Snider performing each of his albums one-by-one over a 12-week period.
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It is with a heavy heart that Snider, for the second week in a row, was tasked with paying tribute to a great inspiration of his. Following his entire tribute stream to Jerry Jeff Walker the week prior, last Sunday Snider snuck just one Shaver song into his set for the encore. The song originally appear,ed on the outlaw country pioneer’s 1993 album, Tramp On Your Street. Snider notes at the end of the cover that the guitar part was actually written by Eddy Shaver, Billy’s son who tragically died of a drug overdose on New Year’s Eve, 2000.
Snider’s cover is imbued with the reverence that he possesses for the musician who very much paved the way for the next generation of folk musicians like him. The song choice is a bit of classic Snider tongue-in-cheek humor, even in the face of death, but could also be seen as something more than a sophomoric joke. Instead, perhaps the message is that Shaver will indeed “Live Forever” in our hearts, minds, and ears.
Watch Todd Snider pay tribute to Billy Joe Shaver with a cover of “Live Forever”.
Todd Snider – “Live Forever” (Billy Joe Shaver)
[Video: Todd Snider]