Miyuki Kawanaka

Miyuki Kawanaka (川中 美幸, Kawanaka Miyuki, December 5, 1955) is a Japanese enka singer. Her singing career spanned over four decades. She married Katsuo Yamada in 1991.

Early life

Kawanaka was born Kimiko Kawanaka in Yonago, Tottori. At a young age, she moved to Suita, Osaka where she grew up.

In 1973, at age 18, she debuted as Kasuga Harumi and tried to become a pop idol with the release of the songs "Shinjuku Tenshin" and "Kantsubaki no Shima Kara". Both singles failed and she returned to Osaka to work at her mother's okonomiyaki restaurant.

In 1976, she won a contest singing "Anatani Inochi Gake". She adopted stage name Miyuki Kawanaka and launched her second debut as an enka singer. In 1980 Kawanaka's single Futarizake (ふたり酒) hit, with sales over a million copies.[1]

Her second biggest hit, "Niren-sou" (二輪草) in 1998, which sold more than a million copies in Japan alone, spending 80 weeks in the top 100 of the oricon chart.

Kawanaka was invited to perform at the annual NHK Red and White Song Festival for 24 non-consecutive years, the 7th most on the all-time list for a female artist. Her last appearance at the prestigious programme was 2011, the 62nd edition of the show.

Discography

Original works charting in the top 100.

Album NameYear
Risking My Life For You1977
Two Drinks1980
About Two1981
Anata Hitosuji1981
Hanasakiminato1982
Echizenmisaki1982
Intoxicated1982
You and Me1983
Ferryboat Resort1983
The Rain That Keeps Us In1983
Two People's Spring1984
Hidden River1984
Aren't You a Man?1985
Snow Dividing Oshoro Coast1985
Two People's Bonds1986
Naniwa Glow1986
Love Song's Channel1987
Bungosuidou1988
Woman Crying Sea of Japan's Tears1988
It's a Moonlit Night, Right?1989
Takoyaki Life1990
Gulping Down Sake1990
Your Spring1991
Blazing Love Song1991
Dream Chasing Woman1992
Wishing for a Port Town Long Ago1993
Kitayama Drizzle1995
Paper Lantern Flower1996
Once More, a Love Song1996
Beautiful Woman Reika1997
Soft Windflower1998
Eisou ~Lily of the Valley~1999
Naniwa Woman2000
Business Trip Story2000
Two People's Spring2001
River's Flow2001
Evening Showers2002
Kifune's Inn2002
Your Whole Life2003
Interesting Woman2004
Mother Weather2004
Light Snow on the Grass2005
One Straight Song2006
Tourounagashi2006
Kanazawa Rain2006
Fuufuchyanrin2007
Kiso River Drizzle2008
Glazed Over Feeling2009
Two People's Flowers2010
Nagasaki Rain2011
Hanabouro ~Hoarfrost Inn~2012
Famous Scene2012
Poet2012
Pair of Sakura2013
I Love Osaka2013
Gion Woman2014

References

  1. "Teichiku sales keyed to new acts". Billboard. March 6, 1982. p. 72. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
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