The Hebrew Hillbilly Review – Shelley Fisher’s Life and Times

The Hebrew Hillbilly performs intermittently live on stage all over the U.S. On Sunday, July 13, 2025, Shelley Fisher gave the performance of her life at the Santa Monica Playhouse. Just about a year ago, Santa Monica Playhouse co-artistic directors Evelyn Rudie and Chris DeCarlo awoke to the awful news that the Playhouse sprinkler system had malfunctioned – taking with it the ceiling of their stages and destroying everything beneath. But, as all theater-goers know, “the show must go on.” And so it did during the massive job of removing tons of debris and rebuilding the stages from scratch, seats, lights, sound, and all. Nearly a year has passed, and the rebuilding continues. Happily, the Santa Monica Playhouse’s smaller stage is up and running. Unfortunately, the main stage is still under repair. And what do we all need to complete a major repair? Time and money seem like a good guess. On July 13, Shelley Fisher kindly offered her skilled artistic services as a long-time ace performer for a benefit showcase of her multiple talents.

Chris DeCarlo and Shelley Fisher – Photo courtesy of Santa Monica Playhouse

Memphis-born and raised Shelley Fisher was fated to become a musician. After all, the heart of the Mississippi Delta in Tennessee is the home of rock n’ roll and the blues. Even before she completed her graduate work in fine arts and drama at UCLA, Shelley was singing her heart out in the Deep South. When she recorded a solo album with her hit rendition of “Wonder Woman” and wrote “Disgorilla,” the sequel to Rick Dees’ “Disco Duck,” she rocked the disco charts. In her free time, she even got to spend a few hours chatting with one of her idols, Elvis Presley. Shelley’s dynamic and diversified repertoire features blues, rock n’ roll, pop, R&B, and country-western hits. Her live performances have included BB Kings, Rum Boogie on Beale Street, Playboy Clubs International, Marina City Club, and Sandals Resorts Jamaica. And let’s not forget the Santa Monica Playhouse.

Shelley Fisher – Photo courtesy of Santa Monica Playhouse

Shelley tells her life story in song, with over a dozen original tunes which she wrote in collaboration with well-known and very talented musicians including Ken Hirsch, Harold Payne, and Steve Rawlins. From “Rockin’ in Memphis” to “Hebrew Hillbilly” to “Finger Lickin’ Good” and “I Wanna Win a Grammy,” Shelley’s voice rocks the theater with soulful music, earthy vocals, and lots of comedy asides. Even though she missed out on “One Big Chance,” she reminds the audience that “I’m Still Hot,” which no one can deny when glancing at her Dolly Parton silhouette. Her longest running solo musical play in the USA, THE HEBREW HILLBILLY, has played to packed houses coast to coast.

Shelley Fisher – Photo courtesy of Santa Monica Playhouse

Skillfully assisted by acting coach Missy Peikin, Shelley blends her vocal skills, her comedic talents, her acting chops, and her ability to grab the audience from the first minute to create an exciting and fascinating production. You’ll want to follow Shelley’s schedule so that you can enjoy a live performance when she next comes to your neighborhood. And let’s not forget to send our best wishes to everyone at the Santa Monica Playhouse as they continue to keep the shows coming in their Santa Monica hub – and hope that they return to the main stage very soon.

Shelley Fisher – Photo courtesy of Santa Monica Playhouse

The Santa Monica Playhouse brought THE HEBREW HILLBILLY, a benefit performance, to their venue on July 13, 2025. THE HEBREW HILLBY is sponsored by Shelley Fisher Financial Services, LLC. Information about future performances and tickets is available online.