Just the Ticket, Just in Time

The $435,000 windfall for store owner Jennifer Lam, who sold Wednesday’s $87-million SuperLotto ticket, might not have come at a better time.

Her father, famed Vietnamese songwriter Phuong Lam, suffered a stroke a few months ago and the family has been struggling to pay hospital bills. Worried friends in the Vietnamese music industry were already planning a fund-raising benefit for this weekend.

Then came the news Thursday that Lam had hit the jackpot--albeit inadvertently. As the owner of Kelly’s Mini Mart in Anaheim, she gets one half of 1% of the $87-million jackpot even though the owner of the winning ticket still has not come forward. Family and friends have rejoiced in her good luck, and it’s not clear what Lam’s daughter will do with her money, but the winnings have not deterred local musicians from their goal of helping one of their own.

“This is good fortune for her. We are very happy for them, but this doesn’t change our purpose in coming together as a community of musicians to help him,” said Westminster music producer Chu Ba Le, who is spearheading the two-day star-studded fund-raiser for her father. “We only hope the good fortune rubs off and he gets better soon.”

The elder Lam, 61, one of the most renowned composers in Vietnam, has had an illustrious career spanning four decades. He came to fame in the 1960s and ‘70s, noted for his stirring songs about love and the homeland.

A prolific musician, the senior Lam continued his career in the United States after fleeing from Vietnam with his family in 1975 at the end of the war. After a brief stint in Paris, he returned to the States and continued songwriting for the hottest Vietnamese singers of today, churning out popular hits year after year. Though his songs are frequently sung by other musicians, Lam has made little off copyright fees.

“Every singer has already performed one of his songs,” said Viet Dzung, a DJ at Radio Bolsa. “He is very well loved.”

The elder Lam has written more than a thousand songs, and recently had his greatest hits released on video. Music producer Le explains his appeal simply: “His music is very easy to sing. His words enter the heart.”

When Lam had his stroke, the family had the added worry of spiraling medical bills, Le said. But the entire community of Vietnamese entertainers wanted to step forward and help, he said.

When the benefit gets underway today and Sunday at the Ritz nightclub in Anaheim, 50 of the biggest names in Vietnamese pop music will be paying tribute to Lam and his songwriting skills.

Everyone volunteered to help, Le said. All the proceeds from the benefit, expected to top $20,000, will go to Lam.

Though people were pleased to hear that Lam’s daughter--who could not be reached for comment Friday--had gotten the lottery windfall this week which could make the financial burden easier, it didn’t change anyone’s mind about continuing with the fund-raiser, he said.

“We are doing this so he will know that we are with him in spirit,” said Le. “We are brothers and sisters helping each other.”

* MYSTERY MILLIONAIRE

Whoever hit the jackpot either is choosing to lie low or doesn’t even know that he or she won. B6