The Lives We Lost: Buddy Jantoc
The Oahu-born musician was a devoted grandfather who played his last show the night before he died.
Stepping into Buddy Jantoc鈥檚 apartment in Lahaina was like visiting a music store.
The 79-year-old musician had 鈥渆very instrument鈥 in his home, his oldest granddaughter said, including a full drum set in his living room.
鈥淓very story that I hear from my dad or aunties and uncles who grew up with him, he always had an instrument in his hand,鈥 Keshia Alakai said.
Jantoc grew up in Honolulu, making his professional musical debut in his early 20s in Waikiki clubs. He traveled the world as the lead guitarist for a series of bands, but he fell in love with Maui, Alakai said, moving there more than four decades ago and making it his forever home.
Jantoc was a skilled musician who was dedicated to his craft — and could get a bit grumpy if things at a show weren鈥檛 up to his standards — but he was also extremely funny and kind, always taking time to joke and laugh with musicians and dancers and put them at ease, said Keoni Manuel, a kumu hula who worked with Jantoc for more than 20 years.
鈥淗e spoke through his music. He showed his love through his music, through his playing,鈥 Manuel said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what made me fall in love with him.鈥
Though a steady stream of gigs on Maui garnered him friends from far-flung places and earned him the nickname 鈥淢r. Aloha,鈥 he always had time to dote on his grandchildren, Alakai said. Jantoc, who lived in a low-income senior housing complex, would call Alakai several times a week, sometimes with something as simple as sharing that he鈥檇 seen a sale on gas advertised near her home.
鈥淓verything about him was just bright,鈥 his grandson-in-law Keipo Alakai said. 鈥淭here was no hate or anger in him.鈥
Though he was starting to move slower and his hearing wasn鈥檛 as good as it used to be, time had not impacted his dedication to music. He played his final show the night before he died in the blaze that consumed much of Lahaina.
