Masateru Nagatani, known professionally as Charlie Nagatani, is a Japanese

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

singer-songwriter. He started performing music with his band Charlie and the Cannonballs in 1961, which is one of the longest-running music groups in Japanese history. He opened a

honky tonk A honky-tonk (also called honkatonk, honkey-tonk, honky tonk, or tonk) is either a bar that provides country music for the entertainment of its patrons or the style of music played in such establishments. It can also refer to the type of piano ...

in his hometown of

Kumamoto is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2. had a populat ...

called Good Time Charlie, and started the Country Gold music festival at

Mount Aso or Aso Volcano is the largest active volcano in Japan and among the largest in the world. Common use relates often only to the somma volcano in the centre of Aso Caldera. It stands in Aso Kujū National Park in Kumamoto Prefecture, on the i ...

in 1989. His first studio album in 1992 ''Charlie Nagatani Sings Country Gold'' featured

Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, bandleader, and activist. She is considered one of the leading music artists behind the country rock genre in the 1970s and the Americana (music), Americana genre ...

Bill Monroe William Smith Monroe ( ; September 13, 1911 – September 9, 1996) was an American mandolinist, singer, and songwriter who created the bluegrass music genre. Because of this, he is often called the " Father of Bluegrass". The genre takes its n ...

, the

Osborne Brothers The Osborne Brothers, Sonny (October 29, 1937 – October 24, 2021) and Bobby (December 7, 1931 – June 27, 2023), were an influential and popular bluegrass act during the 1960s and 1970s and until Sonny retired in 2005. They are probably ...

, and

Porter Wagoner Porter Wayne Wagoner (August 12, 1927 – October 28, 2007) was an American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. In 1967, he introduced singer Dolly Parton on his television show, ''The Por ...

Career

Nagatani heard his first country music concert by Hillbilly Jamboree in 1956. He has honorary citizenship in 33 U.S. states and he is a

Kentucky Colonel Kentucky Colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the US state of Kentucky. It is the most well-known colonelcy in the United States. A Kentucky Colonel Commission (the certificate) is awarded in the name of the Commonwealth by the go ...

. He and his wife Toshiko have had dinner with the President of the United States multiple times. He was featured in the 2019 documentary ''Far Western''.

Country Gold Festival

Country music performers from around the world performed at the Country Gold Festival, which ran from 1989 to 2019. Including

Brad Paisley Brad Douglas Paisley (born October 28, 1972) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His first success came in 1997 as the writer of David Kersh's "Another You (David Kersh song), Another You". After this, he signed with ...

and Rick Trevino.

Discography

Charlie Nagatani Sings Country Gold

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nagatani, Carlie Japanese country musicians 20th-century Japanese guitarists 20th-century Japanese male singers 21st-century Japanese guitarists 21st-century Japanese male singers Japanese male singer-songwriters Japanese male rock singers Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Grand Ole Opry members Singers from Kumamoto 20th-century Japanese singers 21st-century Japanese singers