Edgar Cruz
Encyclopedia
Edgar Cruz is an independent classical and fingerstyle
guitar
ist from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
. Having recorded over a sixteen CDs in styles ranging from classical
to flamenco
to pop
to jazz
, Cruz is perhaps best known for his fingerstyle arrangement of Queen
's "Bohemian Rhapsody
". Additionally, Cruz was featured in an OETA
(Oklahoma's PBS
affiliate) documentary entitled "Spanish Blood - The Guitar of Edgar Cruz". Cruz took second place in the 1991 Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas in the fingerstyle competition as did his brother Mark Anthony Cruz in 1993 & 2001. Cruz's career began when he followed in his father Manuel Cruz' footsteps playing for restaurant customers as a strolling guitarist. His marketing strategy was taken from his father who said, "play what your audience wants and they'll pay you well".
Each year Edgar Cruz performs over 200 concerts and has played throughout America, Europe and South America. He has been a headliner at The Chet Atkins Festival in Nashville, TN since 1995 and is a strong icon at most festivals in Oklahoma including Festival of the Arts, Paseo Festival, Sunfest, Global Oklahoma and more. Cruz offers an incredible live repertoire of “The Greatest Hits of the Guitar”. Malagueña, Classical Gas, Bohemian Rhapsody, In the Mood, Dueling Banjos, Hotel California, A Classical Medley, Latin favorites and Medleys On the Fly are just a few examples. Audience participation, clapping, singing, dancing, snapping, “oles and yee-haws” are all encouraged. Sixteen CDs and 2 DVDs are currently available. They cover moods from Latin, Classical, International, Rock, Jazz, Mariachi, Romantic, Christmas and originals. Future works include a Live Video and more of the fore mentioned.
Edgar has been named the Oklahoma’s Top Performing Artist and/or Acoustic Guitarist for over ten years by the Oklahoma Gazette. He has received numerous civic acknowledgments for his contributions to various charitable events. He also performs
for a wide variety of bookings including Concerts, Festivals, Weddings, Receptions, Banquets, Anniversaries, Birthdays, Schools, Churches, Conventions, Fiestas, Memorials, Masterclasses, Lessons, Restaurants or any special occasion. Edgar holds a Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance from Oklahoma City University, the first person to do so. Complete and up to date information can be found at www.edgarcruz.com
Fingerstyle guitar
Fingerstyle guitar is the technique of playing the guitar by plucking the strings directly with the fingertips, fingernails, or picks attached to fingers, as opposed to flatpicking ....
guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
. Having recorded over a sixteen CDs in styles ranging from classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
to flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
to pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
to jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Cruz is perhaps best known for his fingerstyle arrangement of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
's "Bohemian Rhapsody
Bohemian Rhapsody
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera...
". Additionally, Cruz was featured in an OETA
Oklahoma Educational Television Authority
OETA , is a state network of Public Broadcasting Service member Non-commercial educational Public television stations covering the entire state of Oklahoma....
(Oklahoma's PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
affiliate) documentary entitled "Spanish Blood - The Guitar of Edgar Cruz". Cruz took second place in the 1991 Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas in the fingerstyle competition as did his brother Mark Anthony Cruz in 1993 & 2001. Cruz's career began when he followed in his father Manuel Cruz' footsteps playing for restaurant customers as a strolling guitarist. His marketing strategy was taken from his father who said, "play what your audience wants and they'll pay you well".
Each year Edgar Cruz performs over 200 concerts and has played throughout America, Europe and South America. He has been a headliner at The Chet Atkins Festival in Nashville, TN since 1995 and is a strong icon at most festivals in Oklahoma including Festival of the Arts, Paseo Festival, Sunfest, Global Oklahoma and more. Cruz offers an incredible live repertoire of “The Greatest Hits of the Guitar”. Malagueña, Classical Gas, Bohemian Rhapsody, In the Mood, Dueling Banjos, Hotel California, A Classical Medley, Latin favorites and Medleys On the Fly are just a few examples. Audience participation, clapping, singing, dancing, snapping, “oles and yee-haws” are all encouraged. Sixteen CDs and 2 DVDs are currently available. They cover moods from Latin, Classical, International, Rock, Jazz, Mariachi, Romantic, Christmas and originals. Future works include a Live Video and more of the fore mentioned.
Edgar has been named the Oklahoma’s Top Performing Artist and/or Acoustic Guitarist for over ten years by the Oklahoma Gazette. He has received numerous civic acknowledgments for his contributions to various charitable events. He also performs
for a wide variety of bookings including Concerts, Festivals, Weddings, Receptions, Banquets, Anniversaries, Birthdays, Schools, Churches, Conventions, Fiestas, Memorials, Masterclasses, Lessons, Restaurants or any special occasion. Edgar holds a Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance from Oklahoma City University, the first person to do so. Complete and up to date information can be found at www.edgarcruz.com