James Lynn Strait made a name as the lead singer of Snot in the 1990s. But a car accident late in the decade cut his career short.
The Singer’s Life And Career
Photo Credit: The Head – Vinyl Record Shop/Facebook
Lynn Strait, born into a military household in 1968, became part of the Southern California punk scene as a teenager, according to the official Geffen Records website. Before co-founding Snot in 1995, he played bass in a local band called Lethal Dose.
His first album with Snot, ‘Get Some,’ came out in 1997. Metal Hammer reported that Strait’s lyrics in the debut and its follow-up, which arrived posthumously, reflected his personal experiences, including his time in jail and struggles with addiction.
Snot’s growing popularity earned them a spot on the 1998 Ozzfest lineup, sharing stages with bands like System of a Down and Limp Bizkit (via Revolver).
His Untimely Death
Photo Credit: @numetal_moment/X
Months after the Ozzfest gig, on December 11, Strait had a car crash in an attempt to cross Highway 101 while driving from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles. His car collided with a truck traveling at about 65 mph, Blabbermouth reported.
The 30-year-old singer and his dog Dobbs, who appeared on the cover of ‘Get Some,’ died instantly in the accident, according to MTV. Snot was working on their second album, with ten songs already written at the time, but guitarist Mikey Doling told the outlet that continuing without his bandmate didn’t feel right. So, the group broke up that year.
Tributes From Fellow Rockers
Photo Credit: r/numetal/Reddit
Snot reunited to release the sophomore record, ‘Strait Up,’ in 2000. The album featured guest vocals from Serj Tankian, Jonathan Davis, and Corey Taylor as well as the late singer’s final recording with Snot, ‘Absent,’ MTV shared.
Other bands also honored Strait’s memory in the following years. Sevendust released ‘Angel’s Son’ as a tribute while NOFX mentioned the vocalist and his dog in the track, ‘Doornails’ (per Wikipedia).
In 1999, MTV reported that fans organized a campaign to buy copies of ‘Get Some’ on Strait’s birthday to boost the album’s visibility and honor his legacy.
More recently, Blabbermouth announced plans for a documentary about James Lynn Strait’s life, including interviews with his family and friends.
