Hawaiian singer-songwriter John Cruz engages audiences with rich storytelling through songs ranging from Hawaiian to blues, folk, R&B and more. Cruz is a  multi-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winner and contributed a composition and song to the GRAMMY® award-winning album ‘Slack Key Guitar, Vol. 2.’ Captivating guitar playing, soulful vocals and a compassionate, genuine heart make Cruz one of Hawaii’s most beloved artists.

On stage, he fully embodies every song with this alluring energy translating to his acclaimed albums, ‘Acoustic Soul’ (one of the best selling Hawaii records of all time) and ‘One of These Days’ (bowed at #4 on Billboard’s World Music chart). Today, over 1 million people stream Cruz’s music every year as he enjoys regular plays on SiriusXM, prominent features on hit Playing for Change videos (“The Weight”, “Jokerman” and “All Along The Watchtower”) and a new, long-term concert residency at one of Hawaii’s top listening rooms, ProArts Studio in Kihei, Maui.

Slack Key 'Ohana is a Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award (Hawaiian Grammy®)-nominated band performing harmony-rich original songs in the Hawaiian, Hawaiian-country and Hawaiian-pop styles, along with its own interpretations of traditional Hawaiian classics.

Formed in 2020 in California, Slack Key ‘Ohana embodies the true meaning of the word “’Ohana” in Hawaiian: family. On lead vocals, slack key guitar and lap steel is lifelong musician and Ovation Guitars endorsed artist Brian Witkin. On vocals and ukulele is his mom, Romero Creations (ukuleles) – endorsed Carol Witkin. On vocals, U-bass and keyboards is his dad, Joe Witkin. Joe performed at the original Woodstock Festival in 1969 as a founding member and original keyboardist for Sha Na Na, and is a Kala U-Bass- endorsed artist. Pacific Records artist Kela Sako, from Hilo Hawaii, adds additional lead vocals and harmonies to the band. Kela's recent solo album “Speed Bumps” debuted at #4 on the iTunes Reggae Music Album Chart.

Slack Key ‘Ohaha is joined for some performances by pedal steel virtuoso Rand Anderson, and by Brian’s brother, Pacific Records artist Sean Witkin on drums. Hula dancers, sisters Alana and Allyssa Godoy (more ‘Ohana!) round out performances with beautiful Hula.  

In 2021, Slack Key ‘Ohana recorded its first EP, featuring pedal steel player Rand Anderson and released on Pacific Records. The self-titled EP debuted at #2 on the iTunes World Music charts and subsequently earned the group the 2022 San Diego Music Award for “Best World Music Album” and a live performance at the awards ceremony at Humphrey’s By The Bay.

In August 2022, Slack Key ‘Ohana performed a 50-minute set at San Diego’s Tiki Oasis, one of the largest recurring nationwide island music and Tiki festivals. The set was recorded live and released as a full-length album, “Live at Tiki Oasis”, this time debuting at #1 on the iTunes World Music charts and garnering another SDMA nomination. Riding the wave of the increasing popularity of Hawaiian music, Slack Key ‘Ohana performed over 100 shows in 2022, and quickly gained a firm foothold in its genre. Prominent island music festivals played included PIFA (Pacific Islander Music Festival, San Diego), Alohana (Palm Springs), and the Slack Key Festival at Redondo Beach, CA.

For 2023, Slack Key ‘Ohana released an original single, “Nahenahe Ka Leo o Ka Wahine Uʻi”, earning an additional SDMA award for "Best World Music Song”. The band again performed over 100 shows, including returns to Tiki Oasis, Alohana, and the Slack Key Festival at Redondo Beach, and a new festival addition, Tiki Caliente (Palm Springs). In September, they performed at the inaugural Slack Key Festival at The Shops at Wailea, Maui, a fundraising event following the Lahaina fires. There, they appeared alongside Hawaiian slack key notables George Kahumoku, Jr, Kevin Brown, and Anthony Fluke. 

Slack Key ‘Ohana’s latest full length studio album, “Hawaiian Cowboy” was released on April 5, 2024, and again debuted at #1 on the iTunes World Music Charts. Recorded at the state-of-the-art, invitation-only Studio 606 owned by Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), this album includes guest artist performances by George Kahumoku, Jr, Brittni Paiva, and ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons

The lyric and translation video for Slack Key ‘Ohana’s 2023 single release “Nahenahe Ka Leo o Ka Wahine Uʻi” was nominated for a 2024 Nā Hōkū Hanohano award. On August 3, 2024, Slack Key ‘Ohana performed at the Na Hoku awards ceremony in Honolulu, reprising their song “Hawaiian Cowboy” with Billy F. Gibbons, George Kahumoku, Jr. and Brittni Paiva on stage, and joining Brittni for her song “Heartbeat Melody”, which won “Instrumental Song of the Year” that evening.

In 2025, Slack Key ‘Ohana’s album Hawaiian Cowboy was nominated for “Album of the Year” at the San Diego Music Awards and for “Island Music Album of the Year” at the Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards.