Coy Pereira

Coy Pereira (1919-2005) was a Netherlands based guitarist and steel guitarist originally from Batavia in the Dutch East Indies. He was a member of the and had recorded with the Mena Moeria Minstrels as well as having work released under his own name. He is said to be in the same class of fellow steel guitarists, George de Fretes and Rudi Wairata.
Biography.
Coy Pereira was born on October 22, 1919 in Batavia. He started playing at age 13. He and his wife Hetty had three children. In 1960, he moved to the Netherlands.
In later years he and his wife moved to a retirement village in a Rotterdam suburb. He died in hospital on April 12, 2005, aged 86.
His daughter Rosy born 1951 is a recording artist, having recorded in the 1970s and 1980s. His son Richard was a guitarist with the a Dutch group called The Thunderbolts.
Career.
Around 1933, while in his teens in the Dutch East Indies, he was playing Hawaiian steel guitar in bands such as the Hawaiian Big Boys, the Hula Players and the Aloha Players. Around 1945, he was in bands such as the Candy Rhythmics, Manuella Boys, the Hawaiian Novalties and Pemuda Meluka. He also played in a Crontjong music band called Ramé Dendang.
In 1960, he came to the Netherlands. Not long after he arrived, he was contacted by Bill Buysman of the Kilima Hawaiians. Having just lost Rudi Wairata, he invited Pereira to join the group. He stayed with the group for a while and made some recordings with them. Later he left to find work in a Rotterdam office and was replaced by steel guitarist Frans Doolaard.
In 1962, he contributed steel guitar to recordings by the now Ming Luhulima led Mena Moeria Minstrels which ended up on their " Marching With The Mena Moeria Minstrels" extended play. These included "Waikiki Beach March" and "Polynesian March". These were from two previous singles the group had recorded. He also played on their "Ambon March" / "Tahiti March" single which was released in 1963.
Around 1967, he rejoined the Kilima Hawaiians. His album "Sentimental Steel Guitarist of The Kilima Hawaiians" released on Maple in 1981 included songs such as "Hula Blues", "Ina Ne Keke", "Blue Hawaii" and "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You". Over the years, he stayed with the Kilima Hawaiians while balancing his administration job. He was still playing with the group even after he retired.
Appears on.
Singles.
& The Mena Moeria Minstrels - "Ambon March" / "Tahiti March" - Omega 35.384 - (1962)
Writing and arrangement.
LP album.
& The Kalua's - "Hawaiian Hits" - GIP – 33.042, Dureco – 33.042 - (1970) - Arrangement on tracks: "Mountain Song", "Heavenly Island"