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Darren Benitez, Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning falsetto vocalist, died Thursday. He was 57.
Clifford Darren Benitez graduated from Waianae High School in 1983 and stepped forward as a recording artist 12 years later with the release of his debut album, “Broken Hearts,” in 1995. The album won him the Hoku award for Most Promising Artist the following year.
Benitez followed “Broken Hearts” with his second album, “Mother of the Sea,” in 1998. He released his third, “Dear Mama,” in 2008.
Guitarist Richard Gideon, one-third of the Hoku award- winning trio Maunalua, described Benitez, the brother of his brother-in-law, as “my biggest musical inspiration.”
“I kind of tailored my playing style from Darren, that’s how much he means to me, that’s the impact he had on me,” Gideon said. “He shared a slack key number with me when I was like 12 or 13 years (old). Darren showed me a slack key tuning, and somehow I learned the whole song in that one sitting with him. That’s one of my fondest memories. He definitely inspired me from that.”
Janet Maduli, event producer and Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts staff member, remembered Benitez as a “great musician … a really great talent and a super fun guy. When you’d hear his voice (singing) it was like ‘Oh my god, he’s so good!’”
Benitez sounded as strong as always — singing falsetto and playing guitar — when he sat in with Nina Keali‘iwahamana, Ledward Kaapana, Bobby Moderow Jr., Kimo Kahoano and Don Stroud for an all-star jam at Melveen Leed’s 80th birthday celebration concert July 23 at the Ala Moana Hotel.
He was finishing work on another recording project at the time of his death.
No plans for funeral observances or a celebration of life have been announced.
His next of kin request privacy at this time.
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