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There is a young American guy who sensationally made a hit in enka world in Japan.
His name is Jero(Jerome Charles White, Jr.).
He's from Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh.
His father is an African-American and his mother is half-American half-Japanese.
His grandmother is a Japanese, and he's been familiar with enka since childhood.
He tried to practice enka for his grandmother, then he gradually got absorbed in enka himself.
He came to Japan for the first time when he was 15.
He studied abroad in Japan for 3 months while he was in University of Pittsburgh and he decided to become an enka singer at this time.
After graduation in 2003, he came to Japan again and worked as an English teacher in Wakayama prefecture, then he changed his job as a computer engineer in Osaka prefecture.
While he was working, he tried to join singing contests.
In 2005 he won the first prize at Karaoke contest and was recruited as a potential singer by Victor Entertainment, and he passed an audition.
Judges say "He's polite, and sings well whatever song is requested."
He was trained for 2 years, and finally made his debut with his first song "Umiyuki".
In 2008 he joined "The red and white singing contest" which is the national most famous TV program of a year, which proves a participant to be a well-known singer in Japan.

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Uwasa no onna


Umiyuki


Showa Karesusuki (duet)