＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49) on X
(Reference) Original article in Japanese
・歌唱力が衰えない・落ちた歌手の違いは年齢や努力？男性女性も比較
<Added January 9, 2024> Aki Yashiro passed away on December 30, 2023.
Enka singer Aki Yashiro had suspended her activities in August of last year due to suffering from collagen disease, a condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues.
According to her management agency, she reported feeling unwell in late August, and after undergoing tests at multiple hospitals, she was diagnosed with collagen disease and had been battling the illness.
Regarding her suspension of activities, Yashiro commented, “It’s sad to have to be away from my beloved singing and painting for a while, but I will definitely get better and come back, so please wait for me. I’ll do my best and look forward to the day I can meet you all again!”
However, she passed away on December 30 of last year due to rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonia.
She was 73 years old, one year younger than the “baby boomer” generation (born in 1950). May she rest in peace.
<Added on 2023/5/3> Miki Asakura’s powerful singing voice is still going strong!
Today (May 3rd), I went to see Miki Asakura (born 1960) make a guest appearance at jazz violinist Junko Makiyama’s live performance at the Takatsuki Castle Park Arts and Culture Theater Torishima Hall as part of the “Takatsuki Jazz Street” event.
She passionately sang songs like “Hero,” and I was impressed that her powerful voice is still going strong even at 62 years old.
1. Keisuke Kuwata’s outstanding singing ability showcased in his “Solo Kohaku Uta Gassen”
Keisuke Kuwata (born 1956) of Southern All Stars turned 65 this year, but his outstanding singing ability was still very much intact in the cover songs he performed at his “Solo Kohaku Uta Gassen” (a solo singing competition).
2. Singers whose singing ability has declined with age
I also love Tetsuya Takeda’s (1949-) “Okuru Kotoba,” but his recent live performances are amateurish, and he can’t sing well. It’s painful to listen to.
Takao Horiuchi (1949-) is also from the baby boomer generation, like Tetsuya Takeda, but he also can’t sing well. He participates in karaoke battles as a professional singer, but always gets terrible scores. Karaoke scoring machines are truly honest and don’t show any favoritism.
Aki Yashiro (1950-2023) was also someone I really liked when I was younger, and I bought her records and often sang songs like “Tomoshibi,” “Ai no Shuchakueki,” and “Funauta” at karaoke. However, her recent live performances are unbearable to listen to because she can’t sing well.
3. Singers whose singing ability hasn’t declined with age
On the other hand, Kazumasa Oda (1947-) still has great singing ability. He reportedly does radio calisthenics to improve his physical fitness during concert tours.
Sayuri Ishikawa (born 1958) is also over 60, but she’s still going strong. Her powerful renditions of “Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki” and “Amagi Goe” are still as impressive as ever. Last year, she played the role of Akechi Mitsuhide’s mother in the historical drama “Kirin ga Kuru,” and her clear articulation and performance were quite impressive.
For ordinary people, it’s normal for their vocal range to narrow and their voice to become weaker with age, but the difference in professional singers, as seen above, is surely due to their daily vocal training and attitude towards singing.
The beloved national singer Hibari Misora (1937-1989) passed away at the young age of 52 due to illness. During her “Phoenix Concert” at the Tokyo Dome in April 1988, she was reportedly so weak that she would collapse after leaving the stage. However, on stage, she endured excruciating leg pain that made it almost impossible to stand, and passionately sang 39 songs. It was an almost awe-inspiring performance. One could call it an indomitable spirit as a singer.