Mieko Hirota

Mieko Hirota ( Japanese 弘田三枝子 , also Mico or Miko ; born February 5, 1947 in Tokyo ; † July 21, 2020 ) was a Japanese pop and jazz singer .

Live and act

Hirota began performing in US Army clubs when she was just seven . In 1961 she received a recording contract from Toshiba and initially released Don't Treat Me Like A Child. She was involved in the New Year's show Kōhaku Uta Gassen on NHK television eight times, first in 1962, where she interpreted Vacation by Connie Francis .

In October 1964, Hirota moved to Nippon Columbia. In July 1965 she appeared as the first Japanese singer at the Newport Jazz Festival in the USA, accompanied by the Billy Taylor Trio. There she also sang the song Sunny by Bobby Hebb , which she made famous. In 1968 she gave the first Rhythm & Blues concert at Sankei Hall in Tokyo.

Hirota died on July 21, 2020 of complications from a stroke.

Discographic notes

ミコ R&B を歌う Mieko Hirota on Stage Exciting R&B Vol.1 (Columbia, 1968)
Miko Best Jazz Album (Columbia, 1975)
Mieko Hirota with Billy Taylor Trio Miko in New York (Columbia, 1977)
In My Feeling (Columbia, 1978)

Web links

Individual evidence

↑ 弘田三枝子さんが死去73歳「ヴァケーション」「夢みるシャンソン人形」など/デイリースポーツ.デイリースポーツ, retrieved on August 16, 2020 (Japanese).

personal data
SURNAME	Hirota, Mieko
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Japanese pop and jazz singer
DATE OF BIRTH	February 5, 1947
PLACE OF BIRTH	Tokyo
DATE OF DEATH	July 21, 2020

[1] 弘田三枝子さんが死去73歳「ヴァケーション」「夢みるシャンソン人形」など/デイリースポーツ.デイリースポーツ, retrieved on August 16, 2020 (Japanese).