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Village Singers

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Village Singers (ヴィレッジ・シンガーズ, Vu~irejji shingāzu) was a popular Japanese group sound band formed in 1966 until 1971. They had multiple hit songs and appeared on television and in movies.

Village Singers
Also known asヴィレッジ・シンガーズ
OriginTokyo, Japan
GenresGroup Sounds
Rock
Pop
Kayōkyoku
Years active1966 (1966)–1971 (1971) 2002 (2002)– present (present)
LabelsColumbia Records (1966-1968)
Nippon Columbia (1968)
Japan Sony Music Entertainment Japan (1968-1971)
Teichiku Entertainment, Inc. (2003-2008)
Music Village (2009-)
MembersHisashi Komatsu (band leader, guitar)
Michio Shimizu (vocals, guitar)
Tetsuo Koike (keyboard, vocals)
Yutaka Hayashi (drums)
Kazuomi Sasai (bass)
Past membersMasahiro Koseki (keyboard)
Takao Nanri (12-string guitar, banjo)
Osamu Mori (bass)
Eiji Tsunoda (bass)

History

The predecessor of Village Singers was "Folk Trekkers" (フォーク・トレッカーズ, Fōku torekkāzu), a country music folk group formed by Hisashi Komatsu. The group was once disbanded, but a new group was formed by Hisashi Komatsu, Takao Nanri, and Osamu Mori. In June 1966, Yutaka Hayashi and Masahiro Koseki were added and the band name was started as "Village Singers". The group is named after the folk mecca "Greenwich Village" in the United States. It was a rare style at the time to add a 12-string guitar to the band formation. Made his record debut in October 1966 on "Dark Sandy Beach". This song was a light folk-rock style song, but it didn't make a big hit.The following year, in 1967, he released his second single, "In Search of You," but the slump continued.

The members were reorganized in an attempt to revive, and new band members such as Tetsuo Koike, Kazuomi Sasai, and Michio Shimizu. In August 1967, the first and third single "Barairono Kumo" with new members sold over 600,000 copies and was in the limelight. The fifth single "The Girl with Flaxen Hair" released in February of the following year became a big hit ranked 7th on the Oricon chart.

Furthermore, "Lemon in the Rainbow / Ring of Memories" released in April of the same year was a double-sided hit, achieving a feat of being ranked 17th on the Oricon chart and 12th on the Oricon chart. In August, he released hit songs one after another, "Until The Stars Fell" and "Falling Leaves And Kissing" in November, but in 1969 it became sluggish and "Love In The Rain" released in February. Then, Oricon 42nd place, "When I Fell In Love While Crying" released in March barely entered Oricon 75th place, but the songs released after that did not lead to a hit at all outside the Oricon area, and it was released in January 1971. At the end of "Forever From Here", it was disbanded in June 1971.

In 2002, Hitomi Shimatani made a big hit by covering "The Girl with Flaxen Hair" as a commercial song for Kao's "Essential Damage Care". With this as an opportunity, the members at that time gathered and reunited and are still active to this day.

Members

Yutaka Hayashi

Yutaka Hayashi (林ゆたか, Hayashi Yutaka, February 24, 1947 {age 74} - ) is a Japanese drummer for the Village Singers and actor. He was born in Nagano and attended the Jōsai Univ. Jōsai Junior & Senior High School. He worked to Theater de Poche, Office BIN as a talent agent.

Career

After the dissolution of Village Singers, Shimizu became a solo singer. In 1975, he became a record director. Shimizu participated in the "Tigers Memorial Club Band" formed in 1988. He would latter reunited with the band in 2002

Tetsuo Koike

Tetsuo Koike (小池哲夫, Koike Tetsuo, November 30, 1947 {age 73} - ) is a Japanese keyboard player and pianist for the Village Singers. He grew up in Tokyo.

Kazuomi Sasai

Kazuomi Sasai (笹井一臣, Sasai Kazuomi, November 12, 1944 {age 76} -) is a Japanese bass player for the Village Singers. He grew up in Tokyo.

Hisashi Komatsu

Hisashi Komatsu (小松久, Komatsu Hisashi, February 10, 1945 {age 76} -) is a Japanese musician and leader of the GS band, Village Singers, as a lead guitarist. He grew up in Tokyo.

Michio Shimizu

Michio Shimizu (清水道夫, Shimizu Michio, August 17, 1945 {age 75} -) is a Japanese singer and rhythm guitarist for the Village Singers. He grew up in Tokyo.

Old members

  • Masahiro Koseki (keyboard)
  • Takao Nanri (12-string guitar, banjo)
  • Osamu Mori (bass)
  • Eiji Tsunoda (bass)

Major hit songs

  • Barairono Kumo (バラ色の雲, Baraironokumo) (August 1967)
  • Because I Like It (好きだから, Sukidakara) (November 1967)
  • A Maiden With Flaxen Hair (亜麻色の髪の乙女, Amairono kamino otome) (February 1968)
  • Lemon In The Rainbow (虹の中のレモン, Niji no naka no remon) (April 1968)
  • Ring of Memories (想い出の指輪, Omoide no yubiwa) (April 1968)

Filmography

Television

Movies

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