At its heart, this is an album about friendship, mentorship and the unexpected turns life can take.
Danie Leyes spent decades teaching college students while quietly writing songs on the side, never pursuing music as a full-time career.
Everything changed after he discovered Todd Snider and his music in 2017. Years later, a chance opportunity to attend one of Snider’s songwriting camps led to a friendship that would ultimately result in tours together, songwriting collaborations, and the creation of Medicinal Americana, Sniders’s last production project before his untimely death in 2025.
The album is available for streaming and downloading globally. Click HERE
Recorded in Nashville with Producers Todd Snider and Joe Bisirri, the record evolved into something neither artist could have anticipated—a lasting document of a creative partnership between a celebrated songwriter and a late-blooming artist whose life was forever changed by music.
Musically, Medicinal Americana balances humor, heart, and hard-earned wisdom. While marijuana culture provides a recurring thread throughout the record, the album’s deeper themes
revolve around friendship, personal freedom, second chances, self-discovery and the pursuit of purpose at every stage of life.
Beneath the laughs and irreverence is a collection of songs about finding your people, embracing who you are, and refusing to let age, circumstance or convention dictate your path.
One of the album’s emotional centerpieces is Astrovan, Leyes co-wrote with Todd Snider. More reflective than many of the surrounding tracks, the song explores the uncertainty and sacrifice that often accompany creative pursuits. Through its vivid imagery and autobiographical spirit, Astrovanemerges as both a road song and a statement of purpose from an artist finally embracing the life he was meant to live.
The album’s lead single Ha Ha Weed Is Legal, sets the tone with a joyful sense of celebration.
Built around bright horns, acoustic guitars, and an infectious singalong spirit, the song captures the playful energy that runs throughout much of the record.
Stoner Mating Call follows a similar path, pairing witty lyrics and tongue-in-cheek storytelling with an underlying sincerity that makes the song feel more charming than novelty.
Beyond the album itself, Daniel has a compelling personal story. After a thirty-five-year career in higher education, he is now traveling the country performing and sharing songs that he spent much of his life keeping to himself.
His journey from professor to touring songwriter, coupled with his friendship and collaboration with Todd Snider, offers a rich experience for anyone who loves stoner music, americana and folk.
