Welcome to Hopperville!

Claude Hopper – What’s in a name? An uncouth rustic? A wearer of shit-kicking boots? A writer and player and singer of songs? A swampy big-soundin’ Americana band? A roots rockin’ sonic adventure? A reader and maker of White Trash Cookbook recipes? All that and more…

Claude Hopper is an original Santa Barbara-based Americana roots rock band that features Ohio native singer-songwriter-guitarist David Cowan at the helm. The band includes John McInnes on the bass, Chris Ulep on keyboards and vocals, Andy Webb on lead guitar and vocals, Chuck Hammel on the drums and vocals, and Karina Dawn Line on vocals and percussive things.

With two albums to their credit – Four in the Morning and The Finite Nature of Things – Claude Hopper is working in the woodshed on their next record project. Claude Hopper’s live shows primarily feature David Cowan’s original songs. Claude Hopper also plays select covers by artists influential to their sound including Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead, Beatles, Gillian Welch & David Rawlins, Little Feat, Wilco, Son Volt, Cracker, Lucinda Williams, Phish, MOE, John Prine, and more. Claude Hopper has played numerous shows at clubs and festivals in the region including the Sings Like Hell Music Series at the Historic Lobero Theatre in downtown Santa Barbara. 

A Bit of Hopper History

Claude Hopper first appeared on the Santa Barbara music scene in The Year 2000 at the infamous Ollie Festie, a concert event held at The Farm in Montecito that featured a score of fine bands and singers, and rocked until the wee hours when the sheriff finally tracked ’em down.

Since that glorious debut, Claude Hopper has played many a show and recorded two CDs for listening purposes. Claude Hopper shows have featured guest appearances by some of the crew who played on the records and a bunch of other talented friends, including long time band member Mike Rivers, and Robinson Eikenberry, Alastair Greene, Jim Rankin, Jim and Carolyn Werking, Bill Lanphar, Pat Nevins, Colin John, Cory Sipper, Jim Mason, Roger Len Smith, Bryan “Smitty” Smith, Anastasia Gonzales, Victor Bisetti, Chris Cairns, Earl, Chris Thomas, Gary Sangenito, Brent Hill, Cliff Starbuck, Nicola Gordon, Mari Martin, Jay Shobe, Michael “Laz” Lazaro, Dan Fremont, Adam Siegel, Jeff Bisch and more.



Claude Hopper! Come see us live and we will rock you out.