TAMS Productions Presents Singer-Songwriter and Storyteller, Todd Snider at the Mauch Chunk Opera House Saturday, May 21 at 14 W. Broadway in Jim Thorpe.

Snider is a vociferous musician whose fans know him to be quite the workhorse. His acclaimed 2006 release, "The Devil You Know" found the barefoot troubadour performing live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with David Letterman and the CD appeared on numerous year-end Top 10 lists including Spin, Blender and Rolling Stone.More recently, last year's Peace Queer EPa concept record featuring all the peace, love and anarchy Snider is known forinspired Blender to say he "morphed from a wisecracking country-ish journeyman to the sharpest and funniest protest singer working today."The EP spent five weeks at number one on the Americana chart and Spin Magazine dubbed him, "One of roots music's slyest, smartest songwriters."Technically, he's a singer-songwriter. Or a folk singer. A Troubadour. But he transcends, even rejects, all those labels. He's abuilt up a cult following thanks to nearly 20 years of concerts that double as side-splitting storytelling sessions.Snider takes inspiration from the likes of comedians Bill Hicks and Mitch Hedberg in addition to Bob Dylan and Neil Young, with rhymes that often double as punch lines and between-song banter.His new double-disc live album, "Todd Snider Live: The Storyteller," is the next best thing to being there in person, revealing someone who relishes telling tales of off-the-beaten-path characters.Sometimes that results in a humorous tale about Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis throwing a no-hitter while on LSD ("America's Favorite Pastime"). Sometimes it's a touching ode to a down-on-his-luck everyman ("Play a Train Song")."The songs I keep at and keep working on and keep singing are the ones that keep trying to make me cry even the funny ones," says Snider. Come hear why many critics hail Todd Snider as "One Of The Best Singer-Songwriters In America"Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and concert begins at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. To purchase tickets by phone call our ticket office (570) 325-0249. Tickets can also be purchased on-line at: mauchchunkoperahouse.com.Parking is recommended downtown at the Carbon County Municipal Lot behind the train station.