Hawaiian music star Ernie Cruz, Jr. dead at 56
Celebrated Hawaiian musician Ernie Cruz, Jr. has died at the age of 56.
Cruz, Jr., who fronted the popular traditional Hawaiian band Kaʻau Crater Boys, was pronounced dead by the Honolulu Medical Examiner on Tuesday (20Sep16) after being pulled out of the sea off Sandy Beach, a local surfing hotspot.
According to editors at the Honolulu Star Advertiser, the guitarist and singer was dragged out of the water by lifeguards after being found unresponsive.
The lifeguards attempted to resuscitate him before he was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The musician's sister, Desiree, confirmed her brother's death in a statement posted on Facebook. An autopsy will be conducted on Wednesday (21Sep16).
Cruz, Jr., formed the duo Ka'au Crater Boys with ukulele player Troy Fernandez in the early 1990s, winning three Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, the U.S. state's top music accolade.
Speaking to the Hawaiian paper after Cruz, Jr.'s passing, the group's manager Roy Sakuma said, "He's going to go down as someone very special in the history of the music of Hawaii. He was always giving to others, and he always had nice things to say about other people."
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