It’s sooooo good to see all the familiar faces from the past 36 years!!
Something Fine 2024! 今年も楽しく終了しました!40年前からのメンバーや、渋谷Aspen Glow時代からのバンド、ミュージシャンが集まるこちらのイベント、横浜 Thumbs Upで開催が始まってからも15年から20年近くなります。 ずっとコンセプトは同じ私たちみんなが大好きな70年代 Country Rock & Westcoast音楽。 この時は私もカントリーやロックの曲では無く、Linda、Eagles、Little FeatやCCRといったレパートリーを選んでいます。今年はBassistのカナマリーノがスケジュール合わなかった為、Dickyがベースを弾いてくれました!! 客席も毎年来てくれているみんなや今年初めて来てくれたみなさんもで本当に楽しい夜でした! Keikoのバックをしてくれたみんなは白井英一郎(Gt)、川又 トオル(Gt.)、Dicky北野(Bass)、金竹功(Drums)!ありがとう!昨年の『Something Fine 2023』ではライヴの直前に倒れてしまい、急遽出演出来なくなったギターの川まっちゃん、復帰おめでとう!おかえり〜〜〜〜!めちゃめちゃ良い音してたな〜😍
Remembering the Legendary Mr. Ray Price on the day he passed away. December 16th, 2013.
I had the pleasure of touring with him to Tokyo, Kyoto, Okayama and Osaka in 1993 and performed with him again at a concert held in Tokyo in 1996. He was such a great singer and a gentleman. I went to pick him and his band, The Cherokee Cowboys up at Narita airport and we spent like a whole week touring. We had 4 shows at concert halls and Live venues. Can’t forget the souvenir shopping we went to in Kyoto!
A memorable tour with Ray Price, Charlie McCoy and The Jordanaires.
New Information!! Kazuya Takahashi’s new Blu-ray Disc will be released on January 31st of 2024 Keiko Walker’s performs “Wild Horses” with Kazuya.
Blu-ray (先行予約注文商品) 発売日:2024年1月31日(予定)
★先行予約限定特典:MOUNTAIN MAN マグネットシート★ シートサイズ:W80 X H55 mm (*)先行予約限定:2024年1月12日(金)24時までのご注文およびお振込確認分となります。 ◆先行予約特典の画像は、本商品ページにサムネイル画像で掲載しておりますので、選択の上、拡大してご確認願います。
サポートしてくれたミュージシャンのみなさん、Here’s For There’sの二人、中沼くんと坂野くん以外は今日初めましてと思いきや、エノッキーさんはどこかの会場でお会いしていて、ドラムの津田さんは共通な仲間が数人いたり、ベースの宍倉くんは私が若い頃レコードをいつも買いに行っていたお店の定員さんでした·͜· ︎︎ᕷ中沼くんと坂野くんもありがとう!久しぶりにご一緒出来て楽しかった!
I’ve been playing Gibson J200 (several) since 1985 and the more I spend time with them I fall in love with it even more. Not to mention my blonde one was love at first sight ♡
Last night at Stagecoach with my guitar player, Kazuaki Furuhashi was one of those nights when I realized how much I love playing my Gibson!
After all that I’ve been through these past 15 years or so, losing my mom, struggling with my health issues, losing my precious Angelina and friends, there are times when I felt I wasn’t lucky enough but when I look back at my musical career, it’s been very exciting! I’ve had so many wonderful experiences with so many wonderful people! I had been incredibly lucky. Not everyone could hear stories about Elvis and Hank Williams and Johnny Cash from people who were very close to them nor to be able to perform with the most talented people in the world! I am so honored!
It was a great honor to be able to celebrate Hank Williams’ 100th Birthday! I’ve been listening to Hank since I was very, very small it was probably like my lullaby when I was a baby. Special, special thanks to Kazuya Takahashi for inviting me to do this show with him.
ハンクウィリアムズの生誕100周年記念の昨日、高橋和也Presents Hank Williams 生誕100周年記念Tribute Liveに出演させて頂きました。 子供の頃からずっと聴いているハンクの名曲を和也くんが歌い、私は2部でご一緒させて頂きました!
会場は35年程お世話になっている原宿クロコダイル、カントリーのイベント、ロックのイベントと数々のライヴに参加させて頂いています。 昨年は4月にROCK AID FOR SHIMEを企画し、和也くんにはとても、とてもお世話になり、昨日のライヴの会場、ミュージシャン達、色々深い思いがありました。
New video uploaded on YouTube!! Was filmed back in 1997 at Suntory Hall in Tokyo. A sacred tune “Where could I go but to The Lord” from a Jimmie Tokita’s Concert.
Twas another fun night! After the show, Kazuaki, Seiji and myself sat around to look at some old Japanese Country Music magazines Seiji’s father has kept. It was totally interesting!!
朝長先生、片山誠史くん、清水くん、そしてタラちゃんことKeiko Walker & The Hot Street Bandのギターリスト、小野塚範夫と行ってきまいた~♪ 今夜出演のバンドも懐かしいメンバーでDave Kuboi &The Longhornsにいたアメちゃん(雨宮直己)マキちゃん(石川マキ)そして高野さんという私が小学生~中学生から知っているみんな。
Another new project is about to start!! I am starting a new “Music & Talk” event starting May! My very 1st guest will be my good friend Eiichiro Shirai. This will be a monthly project which will be held on the second Tuesday of each month at Stagecoach. I will have guests each month and there will be a discussion followed by a mini gig.
New video upload! It’s been a year since my singing partner SHIME passed away. This was filmed back in 2008 from our gig. The song, “The Angels Rejoiced Last Night” was SHIME’s favorite tune. Whenever BROKEN ASHES (SHIME & Keiko Walker) performed we started off our show with this song. In our Reissue album, I picked this song to be published for SHIME.
Years and Years ago, when I was a child, my uncle, James Walker was an actor and a Country singer in Japan. I grew up listening to him sing country which led me to dream of becoming a country singer. When I became a professional singer, my uncle had already moved to the US, so we never had the chance to perform together. Since this year, 2023 is my 40th Anniversary year as a performer, I asked my uncle if he could join me in my shows. This will be the very first time to be on stage together!!! What a thrill♪
My first live this year on the 15th was a lot of fun! Thank you to all that came to see us! My next show at Stagecoach will be on February 26th! February is my Birthday Month so it’s going to be a special one!
For the last two days, when I started up my computer and scrolled my Twitter timeline, I was really sad to read the news about the loss of three famous people in a row. I personally don’t know them but it’s really sad they had to leave this world so fast.
First it was Mr. Jeff Beck. I knew his name since when I was small but in the year 2000 when he released his album “You Had It Coming”, I was thrilled! I love this album. In the past ten years or so, I’ve been singing “Rollin’ and Tumblin’ on my shows and it’s always fun.
昨日はまずジェフ・ベックの訃報。。。 子供の頃から名前はもちろん知っていたしギターも耳にしていた。 でも2000年にリリースされた「You Had It Coming」を聴いた時、素晴らしいな~と思いました。 ここ10年くらいは”Rollin’ and Tumblin'”をジェフベックのヴァージョンでステージで取り上げています。
And yesterday after knowing about Jeff Beck, another news popped in. It was about the passing of Tatjana Patitz, she was one of the Super Models in the ’80s~’90s. I remember reading Vogue, Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, all the fashion magazines and she was one the top models on the covers along with my favorite models, Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer and Cindy Crawford! She was only 56…too young to go.
I still remember this issue very well from 1992. Tatjana is the one in the middle.
And then again today, the shocking news about Lisa Marie Presley. Elvis Presley’s only daughter. She was only 54. I just saw the movie “Elvis” and saw Lisa in a photo with Austin Butler who played Elvis.
そして今日はエルビスプレスリーの一人娘、Lisa Marie Presleyの訃報。 ついこの前エルビスの映画を観たばかり、彼女が主演のAustin Butlerと写真に写っていたのを見たばかりでした。 Tatjanaに続き、同年代の訃報はかなりド~ンと重いものを感じます。
Got this photo from our friend and my former band member and a writer, Mr. Byrd Shirai. This was a photo I’ve never seen before. Brings back lots of memories of that night at my live!! I even had my classmates that visited from the states there to see my show for the first time.
昨年終りに長年の友人で、元Keiko Walker & The Hot Street Bandのメンバーでもあり、 私達のアルバムのライナーノーツを書いてくれているライターの白井英一郎が、送ってくれた写真
My first gig this year would be at Stagecoach Chigasaki on January 15th Sunday. It will be with Kazuaki Furuhashi and Yukito! Looking forward to see you all !
It’s always so much fun to sing Emmylou! We did a new set of songs from our Vol. I live. Songs I used to sing when I was younger and songs we’ve never done before. Still haven’t covered half of her albums so this series hopefully continues(^_-)-☆
Received these beautiful flowers! The Christmas scent spread around the room as soon as I opened the box. Their from my favorite florist Gente! Thank you so much!
November’s been a tough month for me with my asthma and a family member being hospitalized. Oh, and the flat tire and all But hopefully, December turns out to be a better one with some Christmas Spirit
Was going through my old case and found this! SHIME gave me his pick probably in the early years of Broken Ashes ( Shime & Keiko Walker) I’ve been using it so the print is fading
I’ve been humming “Songbird” all day long today. Not the one I sing on stage but Christie’s. Another incredibly sad news popped in on Instagram when I logged in today. My favorite artist Stevie Nicks posted earlier today.
Christine McVie, a member of Fleetwood Mac passed away on November 30th at the age of seventy-nine. It’s hard to lose a band member you’ve been together with for a long, long time. Stevie and Christie’s been together in Fleetwood Mac since 1975, that means they’ve worked together for 47 years!! Earlier this year, I lost my very special friend and singing partner for almost 40 years. It still breaks my heart to try to sing the songs we used to sing together.
Christine McVie’s “Songbird” was a song SHIME, my musical partner in BROKEN ASHES loved and, he wanted me to record it in our album back in 1999. As a result, we didn’t because we were already planning to record “I Don’t Wanna Know” from the same album “Songbird” was in. The fabulous Fleetwood Mac album, “Rumours” (1977). But I remember recording a demo of the song.
I was still a kid when this album was released but even back then, I was familiar with the hits on the two albums, “Fleetwood Mac” and “Rumours”. But back in the ’80s when I started my career as a musician, I was always listening to the two albums all the time. And later in my career, I recorded “I Don’t Wanna Know” (BROKEN ASHES) with SHIME and “Rhiannon” on my “Both Sides Now” album.
Thank you everyone for your warm and kind words!!! Since the infusion treatment, it’s easier for me to breathe so I am feeling much better!
My longtime friend and the World’s Greatest Harmonica Player, Charlie McCoy gave me the permission to upload this beautiful Cowboy Tune we’ve been performing together over the past years when Charlie tours Japan.
I am so honored! I hope you all enjoy this.
This was filmed in Tokyo in 2007 at “Charlie McCoy Live in Tokyo”
長年の友人でもあり、Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Simon & Garfunkel や Bob Dylanなどのレコーディングや共演をしてきた世界のハーモニカプレイヤー、チャーリーマッコイより許可を頂き、Upload致しました。
This year from time to time, I have come to recollect my past. Where did Keiko Walker come from? Where, when, and how did my musical career start?
In the Spring, on his birthday, I started googling my grandfather who was an actor in Japan and found articles and photos of my uncle (my mother’s older brother) who also was an actor in Japan. He’s been in so many films. There were photos and blogs written about him which I found on Twitter and was thrilled to see photos I’ve never seen in the past. He was also a Country Music Singer before he moved to the States for good.
This was when I was about 10 years old that my uncle, James Walker was performing at Country Venues in Japan and even started a Country Music venue himself in Yokohama. This is where my mother and I would go and listen to live bands every now and then where I get to meet wonderful musicians and famous Country Artists.
After my Uncle left for the States for good, and couple of years later, along with my mother I went to hear bands playing at a venue in Motomachi (Yokohama) called Bonanza where I would meet musicians again after several years. And this is when my career as a Country Musician myself would begin. I was asked to join the band called “Texas Company”.
Recently, Seiji Katayama, Country singer and the owner of Stagecoach in Chigasaki gave me this poster he found of My Uncle and his Live Venue “GRASSHOPPER”. He found it at the older Stagecoach when they were moving. His father was in my uncle’s band as a Bass Player back then. How interesting where we all connect from generation to generation.
I have been uploading old videos on my YouTube Channel since last year and this has also made me realize how so many wonderful people, I have connected over the last 39 years of my musical career, and I have learned to appreciate my exciting past as a country artist. I have also realized how short life could be for some of us and that we have to appreciate every moment.
My dream right now is to plan a concert with my Uncle Jimmy for we’ve never been on stage together.
The Poster of my uncle’s venue in Yokohama back in the 70’s Seiji gave me in July this year! 片山誠史くんがくれた伯父の経営していたライヴハウスの大きなポスター。 昨日写真をBlogにUploadしたばかりですが、ジミーさんの名前が! ジミー時田&ジェームズ・ウォーカーショーというのがありますね❣ 観たいな~~~!
Some photos of my uncle, James Walker from Movies he appeared in which I found on Twitter! Twitterで伯父を検索して出てきた映画時代の写真たちです。 1枚目は映画「少年ジェット」に出演した時の物だそうです! 2枚目は以前もBlogで書きましたが五月みとりさんとの映画だそうです。 載せてくださっている方々、ありがとうございます❤
This is a photo of my Grandfather, Hugh James Walker from his collection of Artist photos when he was in the movies. They do look alike (^_-)-☆ こちらは以前もBlogに載せていますが、祖父、ヒュー・ウォーカーの映画時代のブロマイドです! こうして並べて見るとおじいちゃまと伯父、やっぱり似ていますね(^^♪
Going down Memory Lane I guess my future career as a Country Music Singer started when I was 10. Fond memories of my still most favorite Singer Jimmie Tokita. And my beautiful Mama
New YouTube upload❣ 来週11月12日、石田新太郎 & The Citylitesのライブにゲスト出演させて頂くのですが、その前に少しCitylitesと私の接点などをお話したいなと思い、美也ちゃんにコラボ動画撮らない?とお誘いして、前半、後半にわけて配信しました! 場所は茅ヶ崎Stage Coachをお借りしました。 片山誠史くんも一瞬登場するよ😉
4月に私が企画したイベント、Rock Aid for SHIMEのT-Shirt着てきて下さった方もいて嬉しい^ ^暑さが苦手な私…今日は特に湿気が多くて暑かったから、来てくれたみんなが心配してくれたり(笑)大好きな栗のお菓子頂いたり!みんな、みんなありがとう❤️喧太くん、純ちゃん、オガンチャン、英二、Yukito、Johnnyみんな最高なPerformance^ ^お疲れ様でした!そして、last but not least、横浜Thumbs Upのみんないつもありがとう🙏🏻💕 またこの企画やりましょ〜!!!
Our relaxing Sunday stroll to the park Look how happy my Annabelle looks in her second photo How blessed to have a beautiful park nearby. Just soothes our mind and body to surround oneself with trees