Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi

Overview

Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi (長渕剛) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and actor, also described as a poet, painter and human-rights advocate. Born on September 7, 1956 in Ijuin, Kagoshima, he debuted in 1977 with the single "Ame no Arashiyama" on Victor Records. He is known for hits such as "Kanpai," "Tonbo" and "Shabondama," and has reportedly sold more than 20 million records worldwide. He also starred in television dramas such as The Family Game, Oyako Game and Tombo, and in films including Orgel and Water Moon. His wife is the actress Etsuko Shihomi. His genres are listed as kayokyoku, enka and J-pop.

Career

Early life and beginnings

Born the first son of a police officer, Nagabuchi was sickly as a child and often suffered asthma attacks. As a youth he listened to kayokyoku, but in the autumn of his first year of high school he saw Takuro Yoshida perform at the Kagoshima City Civic Hall and was so moved that he resolved to become a singer. He bought a nylon-string guitar at 15, made his first live appearance in 1973, and around 1974 formed a folk duo, "Takeshi and Tsuyoshi." In 1975 he entered Kyushu Sangyo University and performed original songs in rough late-night bars under the stage name 永渕剛, where audiences threw bottles and ashtrays; he later said the experience toughened his spirit. His activity at the live house Showa in Fukuoka also grew.

Debut and re-debut

In 1976 he won an award at the Yamaha Popular Music Song Contest with "Ame no Arashiyama," and on February 25, 1977 it was released as his debut single from Victor (credited as Go Nagabuchi). Arranged in an enka-like style that he did not like, it failed to chart. The label wanted to sell him as a youth pop act while he wanted to focus on concerts; after his contract lapsed he returned to Fukuoka and left university. In summer 1978 he met Takuro Yoshida for the first time and was encouraged to return to Tokyo. "Junrenka" placed at the 15th Popcon, and on October 5, 1978 he made a fresh debut with it on Toshiba EMI, with his name reading restored to Tsuyoshi. From the end of the year he began concert activity with Kosetsu Minami and Mayo Shono.

1979-1980

His first original album, Kaze wa Minamikara, was released on March 5, 1979, and he moved to Yoshida's office, Yui Ongaku Koubou. In July he appeared as a guest at Yoshida's Shinojima concert; despite a hostile reception he sang to the end and won big applause. In 1979 he also hosted the radio show All Night Nippon, and his one-man concert at Shinjuku Koseinenkin Hall on November 29 sold out in three hours. "Junko," from the album Gyakuryū, was cut as a single in June 1980 and reached No. 1 on the Oricon chart in August, bringing him into the top ranks of Japanese singer-songwriters. "Kanpai," written for a friend's wedding, first appeared on the album and gradually became famous nationwide.

Early to mid-1980s

From March 23, 1981 he toured nationally with LIVE'81 (49 dates), which introduced a backing band for the first time, piano accompaniment, banjo and electric guitar. He married the idol singer Mako Ishino in August 1981; they divorced in 1983. In June 1982 he held his first outdoor concert, SUPER LIVE IN HIBIYA, and in November performed at Nippon Budokan for the first time. In July 1983 he drew 20,000 people to Seibu Lions Stadium, releasing the double live album SUPER LIVE IN Seibu Stadium. That year he starred in his first lead TV drama, The Family Game, and released its theme "Goodbye Seishun," his first smash hit since "Junko," which launched his acting career in earnest. In 1985 the HUNGRY tour was cut short by overwork and remaining shows were cancelled. In 1986 he released the guitar-only album STAY DREAM and toured with a center-stage format.

1987-1990s

His album License won the Album Award at the 29th Japan Record Awards in 1987, and in August he married Etsuko Shihomi. In 1988 he re-recorded "Kanpai," which became a million-seller and his second No. 1 single, played Tokyo Dome for the first time in June, and released "Tonbo," the theme of the drama Tombo, another million-seller. The album Shōwa (1989) also sold a million, and he starred in the films Orgel and Water Moon, which he also directed. For Tombo and Usagi no Kyūjitsu he received a Galaxy Award commendation. On December 31, 1990 he made his first NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen appearance, singing three songs live from Berlin. Six consecutive studio albums, from License (1987) to Captain of the Ship (1993), reached No. 1 on the Oricon album chart, and Japan (1991) sold over a million copies to become his biggest record. "Tonbo" was the first single cut from the album Shabondama.

2000s to present

Selected albums include Kazoku (1996), Keep on Fighting (2003) and Stay Alive (2012), with singles such as "Sotsugyou" (2009), "Try Again For Japan" (2011) and "Hitotsu" (2012). He released the single "Mirai" in 2013; "Hashiru" and "Ashita e Tsuzuku Michi" in 2014; the single "Black Train" and the album BLACK TRAIN in 2017; "Don’t Think Twice" and "Amen" in 2018; "Orange" in 2019; "REBORN" in 2022; and "OH!" in 2023. In April 2024 came the single "Kuroi Manto to Makka na Ringo," followed in May by the album BLOOD, and in April 2025 the single "HOPE."

Musical style

Nagabuchi started out admiring folk singers such as Takuro Yoshida, and on his early albums tried to move away from the standard folk style. Disliking his own voice, he gargled with shochu and sang in a deliberately coarse tone, and his voice gradually became hoarse like Bob Dylan's, whom he respected. This distinctive delivery built deep-rooted popularity in the mid-1980s. He has said his songs all come from personal experience, and his strong message-driven approach was praised. A singer-songwriter who writes his own material, he also works as an actor and painter.