Takeharu Kunimoto
Template:Japanese name 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 early 2000s (decade) in the bluegrass program of East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. He also performed and record 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
- 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
External links
- Takeharu Kunimoto page
- Takeharu Kunimoto biography from Last Frontier site
- Takeharu Kunimoto page
- J-Pop World interview
Video
 | This article about a Japanese musician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Artists | |
