Takeharu Kunimoto (国本武春, Kunimoto Takeharu, November 1, 1960 – December 24, 2015) was a prominent Japanese shamisen player and rōkyoku singer.
In addition to performing and recording traditional music, he was also the only prominent shamisen player to perform and record bluegrass music; he spent some time in the 2000s in the bluegrass program of East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. He also performed and recorded in a rock music-influenced style.
At the age of 14 Kunimoto attended a Bill Monroe concert in Tokyo and shook his hand, thus inspiring Takeharu to play bluegrass.[1]
Kunimoto died at the age of 55 on December 24, 2015, following an illness.[2]
Discography
edit- Contributing artist
- The Rough Guide to the Music of Japan (1999, World Music Network)
- The Last Frontier: Appalachian Shamisen (2005, Now and Then Records)
References
editExternal links
edit- Takeharu Kunimoto page
- Takeharu Kunimoto biography from Last Frontier site
- Takeharu Kunimoto page
- J-Pop World interview
Video
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