History of Hell

Carlene Carter + Elizabeth Cook

History of Hell

Photography by David Bazemore

Sings Like Hell is dedicated to the idea that not all great musicians are famous. Many of the greatest singers, songwriters and musicians toil away in bars and at house concerts for years, sleeping in vans or couchsurfing. It’s a beautifully tough life.

In 1997, we decided to showcase these troubadours in the gorgeous Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara, and created a subscription concert series to bring them off of the road for a night of “rock star” treatment in an acoustically excellent environment with great sound and lights, and, most importantly, with an audience who really knows how to listen.

We have premiered performances by The Avett Brothers, Damien Rice, Lake Street Dive, Jason Isbell, Rufus Wainwright, among many others, and settled in with old friends like Mose Allison, Van Dyke Parks, Doc Watson, Guy Clark, Joe Ely, Jesse Winchester and Rodney Crowell. Dave Alvin is a frequent visitor, as is Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express. We love music and we love it live!

We’ve been honored by the generous appearance of artists who can sell out much larger venues: Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Tracy Chapman, Randy Newman, Jeff Bridges and John Hiatt to name a few…but our focus remains on emerging talent and on established songwriters who are continuing to write compelling songs. Sings Like Hell is a place to discover new music.

Sings Like Hell presents one show per month, organized in two annual series of six shows each.

The series subscription rate has been fixed for many years at $150 for all six shows, +$24 facility fees. Subscribers have the same seats for all shows, can buy additional tickets at the subscriber rate and hang out with the artists after the show at a reception out front. It’s fun!

Sings Like Hell is a 501(c)3 not for profit corporation, and we operate on ticket sales and sponsorships. Twenty+ years down the road, we are still in love with what we are doing: connecting artists and audiences in the beautiful Lobero Theatre.