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Junko Ohashi

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Junko Ohashi
大橋 純子
Background information
Born(1950-04-26)April 26, 1950
Yūbari, Hokkaido, Japan
DiedNovember 9, 2023(2023-11-09) (aged 73)
Tokyo, Japan
Genres
OccupationSinger
Years active
  • 1974–2023
Labels
Websitewww.junko-ohashi.com
Alma materFuji Women's Junior College
Spouse
Ken Sato
​
(m. 1979)​
Japanese name
Kanji大橋 純子
Hiraganaおおはし じゅんこ
Katakanaオオハシ ジュンコ
Transcriptions
RomanizationŌhashi Junko

Junko Ohashi (大橋 純子, Ōhashi Junko, April 26, 1950 – November 9, 2023) was a Japanese singer best known for her songs "Silhouette Romance" (1981) and "Tasogare My Love" (1978). She was known for her "overwhelming singing ability" and was mainly successful between late 1970s and early 1980s.[1] Her discography consists of more than 20 albums. After a brief hiatus due to battling esophageal and breast cancers, she returned to music in 2019.[2] On November 9, 2023, Ohashi died in Tokyo at the age of 73.[3]

Early life and education

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Ohashi was born in Yūbari, Hokkaido, Japan on April 26, 1950, the oldest of four children from a family that ran a restaurant.[1][4] She graduated from Hokkaido Yubari High School, later attending and graduating from Fuji Women's Junior College. While at college, she joined a band.

Career

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Ohashi made her debut as a singer with the album Feeling Now (1974).[4] She had her breakout in 1978, with the hit "Tasogare My Love", the theme song of the TBS drama series Shishi no Gotoku.[5] During her initial stages of her career, she was known to sing hard rock, but switched to soul after being inspired by artists Sérgio Mendes and Janis Joplin.[6] She accompanied Kiyohiko Ozaki on a live tour, and later served as a supporting act.

In 1976, she released the song "Paper Moon", which became a hit. With the success of the album of the same name, she formed the band Junko Ohashi & Minoya Central Station.[7] In 1978, she released the song "Tasogare My Love", which won her a Gold Award during the 20th Japan Record Awards. In 1981, she released the song "Silhouette Romance", which ranked at number 7 on the Oricon Singles Chart, was awarded best song at the 24th Japan Record Awards and sold over 500,000 copies.[4][8] She also participated in several editions of the Kōhaku Uta Gassen competition, starting from 1979.[4]

In 2018, Ohashi announced that she would be on hiatus after her esophageal cancer diagnosis, returning to recording and touring in March 2019.[9][10]

Personal life

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Ohashi met composer Ken Sato while he was working at Yamaha, marrying him in 1979.[11]

Health problems and death

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In 2018, Ohashi revealed that she was diagnosed with early-stage esophageal cancer, cancelling tour dates in order to focus on her treatment, but was able to resume touring afterwards.[12] However, in March 2019, Ohashi revealed that she was also suffering from breast cancer.[13]

On March 22, 2023, it was reported that Ohashi had relapsed and stopped touring again due to focusing on treating her esophageal cancer.[13] Eight months later, on November 9, Ohashi died in a hospital in Tokyo at the age of 73.[14][15] Her funeral was held at Zōjō-ji temple on November 15 after she was cremated.[16]

Discography

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Albums

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Studio albums

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List of studio albums
Title Album details
Feeling Now
Paper Moon
Rainbow
Crystal City
Sasanami Yume Shalom (沙浪夢SHALOM)
Flush
Full House
Hot Life
Tea For Tears
Tasogare (黄昏)
Point Zero
  • Released: September 21, 1983
  • Label: Philips Records
  • Format: LP, CD, cassette
Def
Question
Pagoda
Miscellaneous
  • Released: February 1, 1993
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
Blue Desert
  • Released: March 1, 1994
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
For Tomorrow
  • Released: October 1, 1995
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
Tokyo Daze (東京DAZE)
  • Released: September 1, 1996
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
Time Flies
  • Released: August 21, 1999
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
Quarter
  • Released: August 22, 2001
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
June
  • Released: June 4, 2003
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
Trinta
  • Released: April 21, 2004
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD

Cover albums

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List of cover albums
Title Album details
J'selection Vol.1
  • Released: November 2, 1994
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
J'selection Vol.2
  • Released: December 1, 1995
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
J'selection Vol.3
  • Released: December 1, 1996
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
Terra
  • Released: July 19, 2007
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
Terra 2
  • Released: June 10, 2009
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
Terra 3 – Uta wa toki wo koete (Terra3〜歌は時を越えて〜)
  • Released: May 22, 2019
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD

Self-cover albums

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List of cover albums
Title Album details
Neo History
  • Released: September 21, 1993
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
Live Life
  • Released: June 18, 2014
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD

Compilation albums

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List of compilation albums
Title Album details
Special Friend Album
  • Released: June 1978
  • Label: Philips
  • Format: LP
Tasogare My Love
  • Released: November 1978
  • Label: Philips
  • Format: LP
Motion & Emotions
  • Released: November 1978
  • Label: Philips
  • Format: LP
Minds
  • Released: June 1982
  • Label: Philips
  • Format: LP
Magical
  • Released: July 1984
  • Label: Philips
  • Format: LP
Story (ストーリー)
  • Released: 25 January 1986
  • Label: Philips
  • Format: CD
Ohashi Junko The Best (大橋純子/THE BEST)
  • Released: 15 August 1989
  • Label: Philips
  • Format: CD
Ohashi Junko New Best (大橋純子/NEW BEST)
  • Released: 26 May 1993
  • Label: Philips
  • Format: CD
Ohashi Junko Special 1800 (大橋純子 Special 1800)
The Best Songs of Junko Ohashi
  • Released: 5 December 1998
  • Label: VAP
  • Format: CD
Treasure Collection Ohashi Junko (TREASURE COLLECTION 大橋純子)
  • Released: 30 June 1998
  • Label: Mercury Music
  • Format: CD
Super Value Ohashi Junko (スーパー・バリュー/大橋純子)
  • Released: 19 December 2001
  • Label: Kitty Mme
  • Format: CD
Golden Best Ohashi Junko Singles (ゴールデン☆ベスト 大橋純子 シングルス)
Premium Selection Ohashi Junko (プライム・セレクション 大橋純子)
  • Released: 18 January 2006
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
  • Format: CD
Best Hit & Karaoke Ohashi Junko (ベストヒット&カラオケ 大橋純子)
  • Released: 30 August 2006
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
  • Format: CD
Ohashi Junko Best 10 (大橋純子 ベスト10)
  • Released: 17 January 2007
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
  • Format: CD
Ohashi Junko Essential Best (大橋純子 エッセンシャル・ベスト)
  • Released: 19 December 2007
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
  • Format: CD
The Premium Best Ohashi Junko (ザ・プレミアムベスト 大橋純子)
  • Released: 18 March 2009
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
  • Format: CD
Complete Single Best
  • Released: 10 June 2009
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
  • Format: CD
Golden Best Ohashi Junko Sony Music Years (GOLDEN☆BEST 大橋純子 ソニーミュージック・イヤーズ)
Light Mellow Ohashi Junko (Light Mellow 大橋純子)
  • Released: 6 August 2014
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
  • Format: CD
Essential Best 1200 Ohashi Junko (エッセンシャル・ベスト 1200 大橋純子)
  • Released: 21 March 2018
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
  • Format: CD

Singles

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Single Year Album
"Kagi wa Kaeshite!" (鍵はかえして!) 1974 Feeling Now
"Paper Moon" (ペイパー・ムーン) 1976 Paper Moon (ペイパー・ムーン)
"Catchy no Uwasa" (キャシーの噂)
"Sakanoue no ie" (坂の上の家) Non-album single
"Simple Love" (シンプル・ラブ) 1977 Rainbow
"Mr. Smile" (ミスター・スマイル) Non-album single
"Crystal City" (クリスタル・シティー) 1978 Crystal City (クリスタル・シティー)
"Funky Little Queenie" (ファンキー・リトル・クイニー)
"Star-Light Train" (スターライト・トレイン) Non-album single
"Tasogare My Love" (たそがれマイ・ラブ) Non-album single
"Safari Night" (サファリ・ナイト) Flush
"Beautiful Me" (ビューティフル・ミー) 1979 Full House
"Anata ni wa Wakaranai" (あなたにはわからない)
"Canadian Lullaby" (カナディアン・ララバイ) 1980 Hot Life
"Ooh Boy"
"Moetsukite" (燃えつきて)
"Fantasy Woman" (ファンタジック・ウーマン) 1981 Tea for Tears
"Silhouette Romance" (シルエット・ロマンス) Non-album single
"Samba Soleil" (サンバ・ソレイユ) 1982 Non-album single
"Tasogare" (黄昏) Tasogare – Postcard Fantasy (黄昏)
"Lost Love – Ai no Odoriba" (LOST LOVE -愛の踊り場-) Magical
"Nemurenai Diamond" (眠れないダイヤモンド) 1988 DEF
"Futa Toori no Kokuhaku" (ふたとおりの告白)
"Anata ni Tsutsumarete" (あなたにつつまれて) Question
"Ai wa Toki o Koete" (愛は時を越えて) 1992 Non-album single
"Kekkon" (結婚) 1993 Non-album single
"Kekkon no Risō to Genjitsu" (結婚の理想と現実) Non-album single
"Rain" 1994 Blue Desert
"20-Sai no Koro" (20才の頃) 1995 For Tomorrow
"Kinjirareta Yume no Naka de" (禁じられた夢の中で) 1996 Tokyo Daze (東京DAZE)
"Melody" (メロディ) 1999 Non-album single
"Hohoemu Tame no Yuuki" (微笑むための勇気) 2002 Non-album single
"Zankyō" (残響) 2005 Non-album single
"Otona no Koi wo Shimasho" (大人の恋をしましょう) 2010 Non-album single

References

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  1. ^ a b "歌手・大橋純子（１）歌って育った夕張でコンサート". Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). July 14, 2014.
  2. ^ "大橋純子 初期の食道がん公表 ４月以降の仕事を治療のためキャンセルdate=March 15, 2018". Sports Nippon (in Japanese).
  3. ^ "Junko Ohashi : Tribute and retrospective – AFTER 5 – Blog". AFTER 5 - Blog. 2023-11-12. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
  4. ^ a b c d "「シルエット・ロマンス」大橋純子さん急逝 73歳 3月に食道がん再発判明、闘病中の突然の悲報…". Sponichi Annex (in Japanese). 11 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  5. ^ Katayama, Takeshi (October 15, 2020). "筒美京平さん、自ら弾いた「たそがれマイ・ラブ」". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese).
  6. ^ "大橋純子さん73歳死去「どこででもいいから歌いたい」…語っていた歌への熱い思い". Nikkan Gendai (in Japanese). November 11, 2023.
  7. ^ "大橋純子の迫力と 美乃家セントラル・ステイションの バンドらしいアンサンブルが 拮抗した名盤『RAINBOW』". OKMusic (in Japanese). November 2, 2022.
  8. ^ "歌手 大橋純子さん死去73歳 ヒット曲「シルエット・ロマンス」". NHKニュース (in Japanese). 11 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  9. ^ "大橋純子が食道がんのため活動休止「気持ちは前向きです」". Natalie (in Japanese). March 16, 2018.
  10. ^ "大橋純子が食道がん克服し活動再開、5月にカバーアルバム発表". Natalie (in Japanese). March 8, 2019.
  11. ^ "大橋純子さん急逝 もんたさん死去で悲痛コメントから20日後…「天国でデュエットを」「言葉出ない」の声". Sports Nippon (in Japanese).
  12. ^ "大橋純子 早期の食道がんを公表「本当か、という気持ち」「私を応援していただければ」". Daily Sports (in Japanese). March 15, 2018.
  13. ^ a b "大橋純子が食道がん再発を公表「とても残念」 過去に乳腺がんも". Daily Sports. March 23, 2023.
  14. ^ "Junko Ohashi, singer of 'Silhouette Romance,' dies at 73". Yomiuri Shimbun. November 11, 2023.
  15. ^ "大橋純子さん急逝 73歳 70年代後半～80年代に活躍したミュージシャンの訃報相次ぐ…". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). November 11, 2023.
  16. ^ "歌手の大橋純子さん死去 73歳、「シルエット・ロマンス". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). November 11, 2023.
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