Hanshin Storm Enka Concert (3)

  Enka giant Akira Kobayashi performed the second half of the concert. He is an old friend of Dr.Handa’s.

  Kobayashi started his showbiz career as a movie star in 1956. The next year, he broke into the music business and was very successful with “Dynamite ga 150 ton”(150 tons of Dynamite). He earned a solid reputation with “Mukashi no Namae de Deteimasu”(I’m Going by My Old Name), which is still sung in karaoke by elderly fans.

  He performed 15 song set with a medley of nine hit songs, including “Dynamite ga 150 ton”, “Mukashi no Namae de Deteimasu,” “Subarashiki Kana Jinsei”(It’s a Wonderful Life)and “Atsuki Kokoro ni”(Fire in My Heart). During the performance, he said, “The reason I’m still singing is because this song was such a huge hit.”

   For an encore, Dr.Handa sang jointly with Kobayashi “Kyodai Bune”(Brother ship) by Ichiro Toba, “Hokkikou”(Return to North) by Kobayashi and“Atsuki Kokoro ni”. 

                                                       Dr.Haruhisa Handa(right) sings as
                                                       Akira Kobayashi looks on.
                                                       Tokyo Art Foundation

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, Nov.22, 2014)
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/2014/11/22/special-supplements/hanshin-storm-enka-concert/