Todd Snider Rules

Shortly after Chris Moore changed my life via karaoke, he changed my life by introducing me to the wonder that is Todd Snider. Then I changed Darron Luesse's life by dragging him to a concert, sight unseen, at which he also fell in love with Todd. The very next night, I changed Gillichi and Jeremiah's life by taking them to the second night of a two-day run at the Bluebird, because my own life had been so changed. Since then, I have seen Todd many times in many states, and usually not just states I happened to be in. Most of the time , I wear a homemade concert t-shirt on which I have used a sharpie to write "Todd Snider Rules" in big letters, referring to one of my favorite stories that he tells (here's a not-great-recording of the version of Rose City Blues during which I first heard him tell it in KY-- you can hear my whistle if you know it well). Sometime about 2 years ago, I changed my mom's life, and I am not sure if a bigger fan now exists. You want evidence?
Exhibit A. Todd's last concert t-shirt, like many hip concert t-shirts, featured the album art on the back of the shirt (his wife Melita Osheowitz's work). My mom is SUCH a fan, she insists on wearing the t-shirt backwards. Always. Not just at concerts.
Exhibit B. My mom was in a terrible car accident last spring, and we are pretty sure a significant reason she pulled through is because we piped Todd Snider into the ICU 24-7, then in the hospital room, then at my sister's house, throughout her recovery. She listened to 5 discs pretty much on repeat for about two and a half months, much to my sister's delight. Often, amidst her drug-induced stupor, she made up Todd-inspired ditties to chronicle her recovery-- my favorite had the line "Lord, don't want to be a junkie no more. Push that pain pill out the door!" But you have to drop the end of some of the words, like a old blues singer, all this while regularly hitting the button to deliver more pain medication through the IV....
And finally, Exhibit C. This is the email she sent me today after going to the concert last night, pasted in its entirety (for those of you wondering where my exuberance comes from, look no further):
"Sis, It was all that it could be and more... I LOVE Todd. He was soooo cute, It was a small loving crowd..he was warmly recieved. By paying 5 bucks a piece we were able to upgrade our seats....Second Row center. Perfffeeecccttttt. he played afew from Queer Peace. the rest were shout outs from the crowd. I did blow him kisses....Nancy and Chiara had a blast too. I can't wait for him to return...i wished he played here two niites in a row like he does in Indiana. I am almost ready to go on the road and follow HIM....I just don't know how to afford that!!
It was the best night of music since I heard him last."

In true Schaack form, she just told me over the phone that she is not washing the stamp off her hand-- like mother, like daughter.