ESCONDIDO — On any given Thursday at Bellamy’s in Escondido, you’ll find a romantic setting, you’ll smell delectable French cuisine, and you’ll hear one soulful voice.
That voice belongs to Britt Doehring, a 24-year-old woman from Fallbrook, with a passion for singing and a voice comparable to Stevie Nicks or even the legendary Karen Carpenter.
Doehring, who has a bachelor’s degree in music from Point Loma Nazarene University, recently released her second album, “Right Where You Are.” The album is made up of 10 songs, mostly about love and heartache, and was recorded with the help of her former music professor and even, a violinist from the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
“I am thrilled for this new album,” said Doehring, who describes her music as acoustic pop. “I was able to record songs sitting in the same seat Frank Sinatra once sat in.”
But Doehring isn’t an overnight success. The North County native dedicated most of her life to learning music.
“My parents have home videos of me singing when I was 2 years old,” Doehring said. “I’ve been singing ever since.”
Doehring said she began taking vocal lessons when she was 8 years old and guitar lessons when she was 14. The first song she learned was “Peaceful Easy Feeling” by American rock band, Eagles.
Doehring credits her success to her father, James Doehring, who won a silver medal in the 1992 Summer Olympics in the men’s shot put competition. She said she chose to pursue a career in music with the backing of her father.
“He said, ‘Just go for it,’” Doehring said. “He paid for my guitar lessons and told me to stick with it. I feel like the average parent would consider music a hobby, but not my father. He saw my passion for this and said he would help me be the best that I can be.”
The Olympian didn’t just encourage her, he taught her to work hard, Doehring said.
“My father is very passionate about work ethic,” Doehring said. “He broke his back when he was 18 and he went on to the Olympics. He taught me to work hard. When I see him or other people giving their all, I find that very inspiring.”
With the support of her father and her guitar teacher, Dave Blackburn, Doehring began earning a living through music at the age of 15. A year after her first gig, she released her first album, “Emerge,” writing the majority of the songs.
“It was a great time-stamp in my career because the songs are a little bit dark,” Doehring said. “It reflected my life as a teen.”
Today, Doehring plays at venues each week throughout North County, including at Orfila Winery, Vintana, Fresco Grill & Wine Bar and Pala Mesa Resort. It’s at those gigs that Doehring finds the confidence to keep playing, she said.
“The more I play, the more I want to play,” Doehring said. “The music brings so much joy to people who hear me. I have so many people tell me that a certain song touched them or that they feel connected to me. I’ve never done anything else in my life that has had such an impact on people.”
Doehring, who recently became engaged to longtime boyfriend, Brad Kinoshita, said she hopes to continue her music career years from now.
“I just know this is what I’m supposed to be doing,” Doehring said. “I never knew I could make a career out of something I love or something I would totally do for free. I get so much joy from it.”
For more information about Britt Doehring, go to brittdoehring.com/.
