Eddie Lynn Snodderly was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, to a father who was a Fuller Brush salesman and a mother who was, in his words, a “housewife extraordinaire.” Snodderly’s grandfather was a farmer and old-time fiddler, who, along with his brother, won several ribbons at Knoxville-area fiddlers’ conventions in the 1920s and ’30s. Snodderly started playing guitar at age 12, enamored of the music of the British invasion, while also absorbing the old-time music played by family members that was simply part of the Snodderly’s homespun DNA. Since his 1977 debut album, Sidewalk Shoes, Snodderly has released LPs on Sugar Hill and other prestigious roots-oriented labels. In addition to his solo work, he also recorded and performed as the Brother Boys with duet partner Eugene Wolf. Songs that he’s written have been covered by Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, John Cowan, Missy Raines and others, and in 2000, he played a minor role (credited as “Village Idiot”) in the Coen Brothers’ film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?
In 1976, Snodderly co-founded (with friend Joe “Tank” Leach) the now-iconic music venue, the Down Home Coffeehouse and Pickin’ Parlor in Johnson City, TN.