Tsuneo Fukuhara

Tsuneo Fukuhara
普久原恒勇
Born14 November 1932 (1932-11-14)
Nishiyodogawa-ku, Osaka, Japan
Died1 November 2022 (2022-12) (aged 89)
Okinawa, Japan

Tsuneo Fukuhara (Japanese: 普久原恒勇; 14 November 1932 – 1 November 2022) was a Japanese composer and record producer.

Life and career

Born in Osaka, Fukuhara was the adoptive son of composer and record producer Fukuhara Chöki [ja].[1] He spent his early life in Okinawa, and studied classical music at the Osaka College of Music.[2] He is considered a pioneer in fusing traditional Okinawan style with elements from other popular genres such as classical music, rhythm & blues and bossa nova,[1][3] and his peculiar compositions are known as "Fukuhara Melodies" ("普久原メロディー").[2]

Fukuhara made his professional debut in 1961, and during his career composed over 500 songs.[2] Among his best known compositions is the song "Bashofu" (1965), which was recorded by popular artists such as Rimi Natsukawa and Tokiko Kato.[2][3] During his career he received various awards and honors, including in 2014 a lifetime JASRAC Music Culture Award.[2][4] Fukuhara died of aortic stenosis on 1 November 2022, at the age of 89.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Johnson, Henry (2021). Nenes' Koza Dabasa: Okinawa in the World Music Market. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5013-5125-9.
  2. ^ a b c d e "「芭蕉布」作曲、普久原恒勇さん死去 89歳 「娘ジントーヨー」など500曲 沖縄の心を歌に". Ryūkyū Shimpō (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "普久原恒勇さん死去 「芭蕉布」手がけた戦後の沖縄を代表する作曲家：朝日新聞デジタル". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 2 November 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  4. ^ "The Fifth JASRAC Music Culture Award". jasrac.or.jp. Retrieved 3 November 2022.