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Yōko Nagayama
Yōko Nagayama
長山洋子
Born	January 13, 1968 (age 56); Tokyo, Japan
Occupations	actress; singer;
Spouse	Mark Smith (m. 2009)
Children	1
	Musical career
Genres	Enka; J-pop;
Instrument	Vocals;
Website	www.jvcmusic.co.jp/yoko/

Yōko Nagayama (長山洋子, Nagayama Yōko, born January 13, 1968) is a Japanese enka singer, former J-pop singer, and actress.

Early life

Nagayama was born in Tokyo. At the age of four, she began attending min'yo group singing lessons with her father. Although she originally went because she enjoyed the attention from her father's classmates, she soon began studying and performing min'yo together with her father. When she was ten, she started playing shamisen. Her father gave her a shamisen that she still uses today.^[2]

She is married to American entrepreneur Mark Smith,^[3] president of IT staffing firm Skillhouse Staffing Solutions.

J-pop era

Nagayama continued singing and performing through her junior high school years. Her plan was to become a professional enka singer after finishing junior high school. However, when she was sixteen, her handlers told her and her parents that she was too young to sing enka. Despite her father's wishes, she then decided to become a J-pop idol singer.^[2]

Her debut song was Haru wa SA-RA SA-RA (春はSA-RA SA-RA), released in 1984. It was not well received, nor were her releases over the next two years. However, in 1986, Nagayama had her first big hit with a cover version of British girl group Bananarama's dance-pop take on Shocking Blue's Venus. Her next song, "You're My Love," a cover of the Eurodisco hit, was also popular. Five of her songs (Venus, You're My Love, Kanashiki Koibitotachi, Heart ni Hi o Tsukete, and Hangyaku no Hero) were all Oricon top 10 hits.

During this time, Nagayama also performed in various dramas, such as the jidaigeki Sanbiki ga Kiru!, Minipato yori Ai o Komete, and Yūwaku.

Enka era

In 1993, she started a second career as an enka singer. She received three prizes for her first enka song Higurashi (蜩). Suterarete (捨てられて) also became famous.^[2]

Nagayama continues to play the shamisen in many of her songs. Notable songs with shamisen parts are Jonkara Onnabushi (じょんから女節) and Usoda to Itte (噓だといって), the latter having been posted on YouTube under the title "DEATH BY SHAMISEN".^[4]

She regularly presents enka programmes on Japanese TV. Nagayama has had at least one song appear on the NHK program Minna no Uta. In 1993, she made her first appearance on the NHK New Year's Eve spectacular Kōhaku Uta Gassen. Since 1995, she has performed at "Kōhaku" for 13 consecutive years, making a total of 14 appearances to date.

On April 6, 2009 she announced on her blog that she has married American entrepreneur Mark Smith.^[5] They have one daughter, born in 2010.

Discography

Enka Singles

蜩 (Higurashi) c/w 心だけでも．．．(Kokoro Dake Demo...) January 21, 1993
海に降る雪 (Umi ni Furu Yuki) c/w 道しるべ (Michishirube) February 6, 1993
なみだ酒 (Namidazake) c/w 艶花 (Tsuyabana) September 22, 1993
蒼月 (Tsuki) c/w あんただけ (Anta Dake) September 3, 1994
めおと酒 (Meotozake) c/w 綾の女 (Aya no Onna) May 10, 1994
私が生まれて育ったところ (Watashi ga Umarete Sodatta Tokoro) c/w 硝子坂 (Garasu Saka) January 21, 1995
捨てられて (Suterarete) c/w ふたたびの恋 (Futatabi no Koi) March 24, 1995
倖せにしてね (Shiawase ni Shite ne) c/w いけない女 (Ikenai Onna) February 21, 1996
ヨコハマ・シルエット (Yokohama Silhouette) c/w 嘘だといって (Uso Da to Itte) June 21, 1996
たてがみ (Tategami) c/w ふられ酒 (Furarezake) July 11, 1996
たてがみ「劇場版」 (Tategami – Gekijōban) c/w 紅い雪 (Akai Yuki) January 22, 1997
お江戸の色女 (Oedo no Iroonna) c/w 夏ひとり (Natsu Hitori) April 23, 1997
あの頃のなみだは (Ano Koro no Namida wa) c/w 地図のない旅 (Chizu no Nai Tabi) April 23, 1997
ムーンライトジェラシー (Moonlight Jealousy) June 11, 1997
浪花夢情話（新編桂春団治） (Naniwa Yume Jōwa) June 11, 1997
恋のプラットホーム (Koi no Platform) c/w 洋子のズンドコ節 (Yōko no Zundokobushi) January 13, 1998
父さんの詩 (Tōsan no Uta) c/w 港町メルヘン (Minatomachi Märchen) March 21, 1998
桶屋の八つぁん (Okeya no Yatsan) c/w 新宿たずね人 (Shinjuku Tazune Hito) February 5, 1998
花園しぐれ (Hanazono Shigure) c/w 恋酒場 (Koi Sakaba) November 13, 1998
傘 (Kasa) c/w 深川恋キツネ (Fukagawagoi Kitsune) March 24, 1999
さだめ雪 (Sadame Yuki) c/w 女の花詞 (Onna no Hanakotoba) April 8, 1999
なみだ酒 (Namidazake) / めおと酒 (Meotozake) December 16, 1999
蜩 (Higurashi) / 蒼月 (Tsuki) December 16, 1999
むすばれたいの (Musubaretai no) c/w 遠い街 (Tōi Machi) January 1, 2000
恋酒場 (Koi Sakaba) c/w あずさ川 (Azusagawa) April 21, 2000
紅い雪 (Akai Yuki) c/w 縁むすび (Enishi Musubi) January 11, 2000
遠野物語 (Tōno Monogatari) c/w 幾春別川 (Kishun Wakaregawa) May 17, 2001
めぐり逢い (Meguriai) c/w やどり木夫婦 (Yadorigi Fūfu) March 21, 2002
艶姿女花吹雪 (Adesugata Onna no Hanafubuki) c/w 妻という名じゃなくっても (Tsuma to Iu Na Ja Naku 'tte mo) July 24, 2002
愛ありがとう (Ai Arigatō) c/w 色づく旅路 (Irozuku Tabiji) October 23, 2002
嵐峡 (Arashihazama) c/w 冬のタンゴ (Fuyu no Tango) January 22, 2003
ありんことひまわり (Arinko to Himawari) c/w ありんこのクリスマス (Arinko no Christmas) June 25, 2003
じょんから女節 (Jonkara Onnabushi) c/w たまゆら (Tamayura) June 25, 2003
おんな炭坑節 (Onna Tankōbushi) May 26, 2004
嘘だといって (Uso Da to Itte) c/w 芭蕉布 (Bashōfu) January 26, 2005
洋子の・・・海 (Yōko no...Umi) c/w 洋子の・・・ふるさと (Yōko no Furusato) June 16, 2005
洋子の・・・名残月 (Yōko no Meizangetsu) c/w 洋子の・・・冬景色 (Yōko no Fuyukeshiki) October 19, 2005
今さらねぇ (Imasaranee) September 7, 2022
美味しいお酒　飲めりゃいい (Oishii Osake Nomeryaii) June 21, 2023

Cover Songs

In 1988, she covered Johnny Hates Jazz's song "I Don't Want to be a Hero, "反逆のヒーロー".
In 1990, she covered Diana Ross's song: "If We Hold On Together", "イフ・ウィ・ホールド・オン・トウゲザー" from the 1988 animated film, The Land Before Time.