Actress Chieko Baisho (83) appeared on the 29th at the Japan Singers Association’s annual “51st Song Festival,” which opened at the Edogawa Cultural Center in Tokyo.Actress Nishida, who passed away on the 17th of this month, In memory of Toshiyuki (passed away at the age of 76).

“When I heard that he had passed away, I was so shocked that I couldn’t say anything.I recently performed with him on stage, and he said, “My back hurts. I can’t do it,” so I was worried… ” he said quietly.

She played the role of Nishida’s wife in the movie “Naoki Uemura Monogatari” (1986). “When I participated in a location shoot in the North Pole, Mr. Nishida, whose face was red from frostbite, greeted me and said, “Baisho-san, welcome!” I’ll never forget that smile,” he said in a choked voice. .

On stage that day, she performed songs such as “Funauta”, a signature song by Aki Yashiro (age 73), who passed away in December last year, accompanied by the piano performance of her husband, composer Reijiro Koroku (age 74). Her soft singing voice full of emotion moved the packed house of about 1,000 people.

“Funauta” is also known for being used in the TV scene of the movie “STATION” (1981), in which Baisho played the role of a barmaid and the late Ken Takakura starred. The famous scene in which Baisho stands close to Ken and says, “I love this song,” was reenacted live this time with Michihito Goda (62), the singer and host of the Singers’ Association, acting as Ken. There was applause and cheers.

The 51st Song Festival will be held over two days including the 30th, divided into four sessions in the afternoon and evening, with approximately 150 of Japan’s leading singers participating. In addition to performing hit songs from the early Showa era, there are also many corners that feature representative songs and memories of singers who passed away this year. This year, it will also be a charity performance with a portion of the proceeds donated to areas affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake and heavy rains.

By the way, in the grand finale on the evening of the 30th, Tetsuya Takeda (75) will perform his best friend Toshiyuki Nishida’s “If I Could Play the Piano” for the first time on stage, with Goda playing the piano. The two-day digest version will be divided into three days from December 3rd to December 5th and will be broadcast on BS TV Tokyo from 6pm every day.