I am Michael "Smitty" Smith, and I play guitar. A lot. My current band - and performance passion - is a blues-rock assault project called Hurts Like Hell. (Check out the live in-studio videos here!) The guys I jam and write with are amazing, and we have a great time recording and gigging. I suggest you hire us and buy our music so we can keep doing it.

I’ve been playing and recording for longer than I care to admit. I’ve decided to share my "guitarchives" on the web. Keep an eye on my store for more back-catalog, solo-projects, rarities, and fan "freebies" as I learn embrace this digital reality.

Want to learn or refresh your guitar skills? I teach all styles to players at all levels and work hard to keep it fun. (Think about it: you’re learning to PLAY, after all.) I offer lessons in the Olympia area, and will expand the offering via live web-stream soon for aspiring riffsters wherever they may hide. Let's connect when you’re ready to up your game!

Recording? I am also available as a hired-gun for your next project. Acoustic or electric: blues, rock, country, metal, jazz, jam... I love to lay it down, and can nail the take in short order. Whether an in-person studio session or a virtual handshake (trading files over the internet), I am your man. Contact me, and let’s make a deal!

  • Don't Cry Wolf

    The band's latset release Don't Cry Wolf features their trademark gritty rock n' roll swagger and bluesy southern soul. Groovy dual guitar leads, howling blues harp and screaming slide guitar punctuate this rock album with hardcore blues at its roots. This is the sound of a band coming into its own, confidently!

  • SOUL CONDUCTOR

    Hurts Like Hell brings a new depth to their brand of the blues and rock n' roll with Soul Conductor. Rich vocal harmonies, screaming dual guitars, thick low end, and fat vintage drum sounds punctuate the fourteen-song ode to summer. Showcasing the interplay of two unique guitarists' tones and stylings, this is a raucous, soulful guitar-rock journey.

  • LEAVE 'EM TO THE CROWS

    With driving rock anthems like "Lightning", "Shots Fired" & "Smoky Skies", the soulful and slithery blues of "Goin' Back To Texas", "Crows" & "Maybe Baby", the emotional firepower of rock ballads "Broke Down", "Been Awhile" & "The Fall" and the downright dirty shuffles of "Long Long Time" & "Draw The Line", everybody will find something to like on this deep 14-song, 65 minute release.