Hawaii musician Guy Cruz dies
STAR-ADVETISER / MAY 2001
Guy Cruz died early today.
Hawaiian singer-songwriter Guy Cruz, a member of a prominent musical family from Palolo that suffered two other deaths this year, died early today, according to entertainer Amy Hanaialii.
In a Facebook posting, Hanaialii said “my cousin Guy Cruz passed away early this morning. Guy is brother to Ernie that passed away a couple of days ago. What a blow to my Aunty Puna and all Cruz Ohana. Guy was extremely talented as well. Rest with Akua Guy.”
Guy Cruz was under hospice care, family members said earlier this week.
Cruz was a former member of the group Hoku Award-winning group Colon and the younger brother of Ernie Cruz, Jr. of the Ka‘au Crater Boys, who also died this week after being found unresponsive at Sandy Beach.
Ernie Cruz Jr. visited Guy at the hospice in Hilo earlier this week, a family member said.
Guy Cruz also played regularly in local clubs and put out a solo CD – “Judgment Time” – in 1998. It was produced by his brother John and featured guest vocals from brothers Ernie and John.
Jake Shimabukuro, Lopaka Colon, Cruz and bassist Andrew McLellan formed Colon after Jon Yamasato quit Pure Heart in 1999. Guy sang and played guitar, the position Yamasato had held in Pure Heart.
Colon won a Na Hoku Hanohano Award — Favorite Entertainer of the Year, by public vote — in 2001, the same year the group broke up.
Jake Shimabukuro said today that he’d been a fan of Cruz’s singing before they worked together in Colon.
“He had the golden voice. Nobody sang like him,” Shimabukuro said, recalling times when he saw Cruz sitting in with his brother John, in local nightclubs. “The first time I heard him sing my jaw hit the floor.”
Shimabukuro added that Cruz was “more than just a band mate. He was a dear friend. When it came to music he always pushed himself and the band, and he always pushed me to be more creative and try new things.”
Guy’s survivors include brothers David, John and Anthony; sisters Ernelle Downs, Desiree and Sarah Cruz, Stephanie Tyrin, Marissa Meredith, Tiffany Garza and Connie Rincon.
On Tuesday, lifeguards pulled Ernie Cruz Jr. out of the water after he was found unresponsive about 100 to 150 yards offshore at Sandy Beach about 2:30 p.m. Lifeguards performed CPR, and Cruz was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Ernie Cruz Jr., along with Troy Fernandez, formed the duo Ka‘au Crater Boys in the early 1990s.
The patriarch of the musical family, Ernie Cruz Sr., died in May in Arizona.
16 responses to “Hawaii musician Guy Cruz dies”
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So heartbreaking for the Cruz family – aloha and mahalo to Ernie, Guy and their father for blessing us with wonderful music. They will live on thru their music. Aloha and prayers go out to the entire family as they have had to deal with 2 deaths in 1 week and 3 in the past 4 months.
agree..such a talented family and full of aloha. RIP
Ditto that.
What you said! I couldn’t say it any better than that. Mahalo!
My deepest ALOHA to his ohana.
Wonder how he died?
All these premature deaths of musicians. Something about music making must be very unhealthy.
Allaha, Did you really need to troll this article? Go elsewhere, and leave condolences to those with aloha for the Cruz Ohana.
Reader503: You are exactly correct. This family has lost three loved ones in a short period of time. What is required is aloha, not inappropriateness!
Hearts and prayers out to the Cruz ohana!! Luv their music since I was a kid..will be missed..
Had many a good times with braddah guy in Kapahulu, may you rest in peace!
It is always sad when such a member of the community passes on. May he be in better hands now.
Sending condolences to the Cruz ohana.
This family deserves only the most wonderful things to happen to them for the rest of the year. Condolences.
Best regards to this family. You are in my prayers. Rest in peace.
My aloha and condolences go out to the Cruz `ohana. Ernie Jr. and Guy and dad now all together and can make beautiful music together in heaven.