Yamashita Keijiro Passes Away

Rockabilly sensation Yamashita Keijiro, who was known as one of the "Rockabilly Sannin Otoko", has passed away at the age of 71 following a battle with cancer.

Yamashita's career spanned nearly 60 years and he was commonly recognised as one of the forerunners of the rockabilly sensation within Japan. His career began in 1958 with a performance at Tokyo's Yuurakuchou Japan Theatre in the "Western Carnival" stage-show, and Yamashita rapidly found fame as one of the "Rockabilly Sannin Otoko" alongside composer Masaaki Hirao and rock singer Mickey Curtis.

In November 2010, Yamashita's physical condition deteriorated and following a medical examination was diagnosed with cancer of the bile duct. Yamashita was immediately hospitalised in Yokohama for emergency treatment and in December, Yamashita was transferred to Tokyo for further surgery. On December 26th, Yamashita made an exclusive performance at a dinner party in Sano, Tochigi, in thanks for the ongoing support from friends and family.