Article

Lou Snider

Published Online June 28, 2007

Last Edited December 15, 2013

Lou (Louis) Snider (b Sniderman). Organist, pianist, composer, b Toronto 13 Jun 1918, d there 26 Jun 1982. At 10 he began playing piano at the B.F. Keith Theatre in Ottawa. In Toronto he made his radio debut in 1931 on CKCL and also played with the Mountaineers.

Snider, Lou

Lou (Louis) Snider (b Sniderman). Organist, pianist, composer, b Toronto 13 Jun 1918, d there 26 Jun 1982. At 10 he began playing piano at the B.F. Keith Theatre in Ottawa. In Toronto he made his radio debut in 1931 on CKCL and also played with the Mountaineers. He served intermittently 1937-66 as music director for Ken Soble's amateur show on CKCL, then on CHML, and finally on CHCH-TV. During a long association with CBC radio, he was the organist for the children's show 'Just Mary' (late 1930s to mid-1960s, except for a period of RCAF service in World War II) and for the Happy Gang 1948-51. He was also co-star of shows with Jackie Rae and with the Australian singer Peggy Brooks, and served as music director (summer 1951) for 'Time for a Song' starring Brooks and Howard Manning.

His own radio shows were heard on CBC (eg, 'Lou Snider and Rhythm' with the bassist Murray Lauder and the drummer Reef McGarvey in 1953) and in 1958 on CHUM. He later played piano in cocktail lounges in the Toronto area and 1978-9 for Suzanne Stevens on the Global TV show 'For Lovers Only.' In addition to individual LPs 1957-63 for Decca, Chateau, Sparton, RCI, and the CTL, he recorded Lou Snider Plays Snider (Scope 477-5701) in 1970, presenting 10 of his own piano pieces (many reflecting the influence of Chopin), two by his brother Art Snider, and one, Judea, by their father, Jack. Snider also appeared as an organist on two LPs by Bill Richards. Several of Snider's songs were published by BMIC.