The 20th Doheny Blues Festival will rock Doheny State Beach in Dana Point this weekend, an anniversary that prompted founder Rich Sherman to consider his legacy.
He was inspired to create the Doheny Blues Foundation to give back to the community that’s supported the festival through the years. The newly formed 501(c)(3) nonprofit will start operations in September with the goal of promoting awareness of blues music and providing education about its history, cultural significance and current relevance.
One program will support the blues community financially, and another will educate youth and foster appreciation for the musical genre.
Blues “is the foundation for most current types of music, and since blues music originated in other parts of the country, it is important to educate SoCal youth and provide understanding to foster a lifelong appreciation for the blues,” Sherman said in an email.
The Doheny Blues Festival started in 1998, picking up where the OC Blues Festival left off. The first incarnation of the latter was held in 1993 in Dana Point’s blufftop Heritage Park. A few years later, Sherman and some local businessmen and blues enthusiasts approached the state park system to start a new music festival at the 62-acre Doheny State Beach.
Sherman enticed legendary blues musician John Lee Hooker to play the first year alongside Jimmie Vaughan and others. The festival team were in their mid-20s and didn’t look too far ahead, he said, but the festival gained traction and grew quickly.
“We started seeing everyone snapping up hotel rooms and filling Dana Point with tourism,” Sherman said in an interview.
The festival evolved to feature 24 sets of music on three alternating stages, plus food, microbrews and various vendors. A portion of the proceeds has been donated to the Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association, which has operated the visitors center at the venue for a number of years, he said.
Foundation Takes Shape
Sherman said he and the other festival managers had been tossing around the idea of starting a foundation for a few years. He created it under the auspices of Mission Viejo-based Omega Events Inc., the event production company he founded in 1995 that puts on the Doheny festival and other live events, including the Newport Beach Jazz Festival.
One musician the festival has previously helped out is Walter Trout, a renowned blues guitarist, singer and songwriter who lives in Huntington Beach.
Trout received a diagnosis of “life-threatening” liver failure and hepatitis C in 2013, according to his website. He underwent a liver transplant in May 2014 and resurrected his musical career the following year with “Battle Scars,” a studio album that channeled his “near-death” experience into autobiographical songs.
His family raised funds for him, and festival staff made a “decent-sized” donation, rallied blues fans in SoCal to do the same, and helped raise awareness of Trout’s plight through the festival’s Facebook page, Sherman said.
“I think it just put the spotlight on what these musicians go through,” he said. “They have massive bills, and (being sick) takes them out of their line of work for a while.”
Trout recovered and played the festival last year, Sherman said.
Raising Awareness
Sherman intends to make frequent announcements about the foundation during this weekend’s festival, which will feature headliners including Joe Walsh, Melissa Etheridge and Chris Isaak. Festival staff created a commemorative 20-year program that will sell for $20, with all proceeds going to the foundation, Sherman said. He predicts 20,000 attendees, based on past festivals. There’ll also be a fundraising event at Mozambique in Laguna Beach on May 17 featuring local blues artist performances.
The foundation’s board of directors is being formed. Patti Compton, director of public relations for Omega Events, will serve as executive director. The idea is to develop a strong and diverse board of directors with “unique skill sets and unified in the mission to support musicians and create awareness and appreciation for blues music in Southern California,” she said.
Potential board members include blues supporters and club owners, music history professors, blues musicians, arts philanthropists, music industry executives and blues radio executives.
Goals in Play
Education of local youth will be “the backbone” of the foundation’s work through a four-step approach: blues history lessons; attending blues performances; instruction in the fundamentals of blues music; and fostering appreciation by listening to blues music and pointing out relevance to current music.
There may also be field trips, summer camps and the like, Sherman said.
The foundation intends to use various means to accomplish its goals. Blues artists may be invited to become members and asked to donate their time to build a sense of community among musicians and provide opportunities for mentorship, he said. Performances will be set up around the county for primarily youth audiences.
Financial assistance will be provided to musicians, including helping them pay bills, buy musical equipment or cover travel expenses, Sherman said.
An annual Doheny Blues Foundation Award will be presented to an individual who provides leadership and guidance that strengthens the blues community. Sherman said he plans to present the first award this year or early next year.
Scholarships will be awarded to graduating high school seniors who aspire to study music with the goal of working as musicians or music historians. Awards will vary in amount and won’t be school-specific. Candidates will submit an essay on their future plans to sustain and enhance understanding and appreciation of blues music.
