San Diego Music Awards set for April 30 at Humphrey’s by the Bay

The 33^rd Annual San Diego Music Awards takes place at 7 p.m. on April 30 at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay. Open to the public, the event showcases the best of San Diego’s musical talent, while also raising funds for the San Diego Music Foundations Guitars In Schools program, helping to keep music education in the county’s schools.

Awards will be given out in 25 different categories, intermingled with seven live performances from nominees. The evening’s high-point is likely to be the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to guitarist Stevie Salas. Best known for his work with the likes of Rod Stewart and Mick Jagger, Salas will perform with an all-star band, preceded by a special video tribute.

The other artists on the bill reflect the diverse nature of San Diego’s music community. On hand will be country singer Kimmi Bitter, rapper Mitchy Slick, pop rock combo We the Commas, jam band Boostive, singer-songwriter Joshua Taylor, and rocker Ash Easton.

“It’s wonderful to be able to put a spotlight on San Diego’s great music community, while also being able to help foster future generations of musicians,” said event organizer Kevin Hellman of the San Diego Music Foundation.

The event has raised almost $800,000 for the program, reaching more than 91,000 K-12 students to date in 121 schools from San Ysidro to San Onofre. Hoover High School (City Heights) and Connect Academy (Poway) are the latest schools to take part.

“That Kevin Hellman and company have kept it up for all these years is amazing,” said Darius Deghar of Stark Shay. The group, featuring Deghar and his daughters, Cleopatra and Cordelia, are up for a “Best Pop Album” trophy for their release, “Treasures.”

“He’s done a real and lasting service for the city of San Diego and the local music community. You know, I’ve been in and out of the San Diego music scene, and on its fringes, for some 40 years,” Deghar said. “The SDMAs have helped to knit it all together, to make it feel cohesive. Kevin deserves kudos for that.”

Deghar considers being nominated to be an honor, “maybe more than actually winning would be because the nominations come from the local music industry folks,” Shay said. “If you’re like me, someone who’s more about recording than playing live, a nomination is a reminder that you’re not laboring away in a vacuum. Even if it’s a labor of love, as it is for me, it’s great to be reminded there’s a local community out there, and that your work has been noticed.”

Ash Easton (above), nominated for “Best Rock Artist,” concurs. “I am so honored to be included,” she said. “Obviously, as musicians, we are constantly climbing a ladder toward success and acknowledgment and to further our reach in our craft. Being nominated feels like validation for the hard work we all strive to put out and to be nominated in my hometown is just the absolute tops!”

For Deghar, the nomination has extra meaning because of his group’s family-based nature. “We made these recordings as a fun family project,” he said. “I would record and produce tracks, and when Cleopatra and Cordelia were home for holidays, I’d drag them into the home studio and make them sing on the recordings. They owed me because I’ve been producing their records for years,” he said.

“Being a singer-songwriter-musician my whole life and then having two daughters who both grew up to be singer-songwriters is pretty amazing. So, then getting to make music with them is a truly special thing. Being nominated for best pop album is an unexpected bonus on top of what, for me, was already a beautiful family experience,” Deghar said

Easton considers the event itself to be enjoyable. “Narrowing it down to the best thing about it is so tough because the SDMAs are loaded with wonderful factors,” she said. “But one reason, and possibly my favorite, is being in a venue with most of the musicians in San Diego I admire. It’s not often a group of us get to be present in the same place, because we’re all gigging, or recording, or working for the craft, so getting to be in the same space and connecting and exchanging wild music stories is a highlight.”

Easton is particularly looking forward to performing on the night. “It’s my second year attending in person, and last year’s live performances were amazing, so I’m thrilled we get to be a part of the bands who have had the honor of performing live for the event,” she said. “We’ll be debuting a brand-new song that will surely light the stage on fire! It is an honor, and it’s fun to get to show your fellow musicians and the audience what you’ve been working on.”

“It’s nice to be able to raise money for the Guitars In Schools program, but the event itself is also a lot of fun and an excellent opportunity for musicians to network,” Hellman said.

Thousands of students have now been helped because of the program, with plans for it to continue well into the future. After more than three decades of producing the awards, Hellman is still enthusiastic about the SDMAs.

“What I’m looking forward to the most, is the day one of the students we’ve helped through the years ends up taking home an SDMA trophy themselves,” Hellman said.

Visit sandiegomusicawards.com for more information.