Chiemi Eri (江利 チエミ, Eri Chiemi, January 11, 1937 – February 13, 1982),[1] was a Japanese singer and actress.
Eri was born as Chiemi Kubo (久保 智恵美, Kubo Chiemi) on January 11, 1937 in Tokyo, Japan. She was born to a musician father and a mother who was a singer, thus encouraging her musical career.[2] She started her singing career at the age of 14 with her version of "Tennessee Waltz." She regularly sang on American military bases as a teenager.[3] Her repertoire consisted largely of traditional Japanese songs as well as a few American songs such as "Jambalaya" and "Come on-a My House". Eri started her career as an actress similar to Hibari Misora. Eri, Misora and Izumi Yukimura formed a trio. In her concerts, she was supported by Nobuo Hara's jazz band.[4] The actress was one of Japan's best-known singers in the mid-20th century and also appeared in numerous television shows from the early 1950s until just before her death. However, she is fairly unknown in many other parts of the world since her albums were rarely distributed in other markets, in which her music can almost only be accessed via the internet.
Eri married Ken Takakura in 1959 and they divorced in 1971.[5] She released the single "Sakaba Nite" (酒場にて, lit. "At the Bar") in 1974. The song was later included in the omnibus album "Enka no Kokoro".[6]
On the afternoon of February 13, 1982, Eri was found prone and not breathing on the bed of her Minato Ward apartment in Tokyo, by her manager. Her cause of death was listed as a stroke with asphyxiation due to vomit in the trachea. A further report indicated that while she had a cold and had already been drinking, a combination of whiskey mixed with milk, as well as cold medicine that she had heated up may have had a role in her death.
Eri began her career as a singer at the age of 14 and would continue to record throughout her career. Many of her albums focused on Japanese folk music though she would often blend American standards with Latin grooves[7] at the behest of Nobuo Hara, a prolific jazz musician and leader of Eri's backing band.
江利チエミ - チエミの民謡集 / Eri Chiemi - Chiemi's Folk Song Collection (1958)
チエミスタンダードアルバム / Chiemi Sings Standards (1959)
Chiemi Eri & The Delta Rhythm Boys (1961)
チエミの民謡ハイライツ / Chiemi Sings Japanese Folk Songs Highlights (1962)
チエミの民謡ハイライツ 第2集 / Chiemi Sings Japanese Folk Songs Volume 2 (1965)
チエミの民謡デラックス / Chiemi Sings Japanese Folk Music Deluxe (1968)
チエミの民謡デラックス第二集 / Chiemi Sings Japanese Folk Music Deluxe Volume 2 (1969)
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