Kazuyoshi Saito

Kazuyoshi Saito (斉藤和義) is a Japanese singer-songwriter.

The same thing happened with "Ya Mujō" and "Otsukare-sama no Kuni" the following year, with the former going on to win an Excellent Work Award at the 50th Japan Record Awards.

In 1992, Saito appeared on the TBS audition TV show Seiki Roku Wagayateki Denshi Miyake Yūji no Tenka Gomen!.

Making his professional debut in 1993, Saito's popularity exploded in 2007 after 15 years in the music industry.

He is also one-half of the rock duo Mannish Boys with Tatsuya Nakamura and a member of the supergroup the Curling Sitones (カーリングシトーンズ).

He made his professional debut in August 1993 with the single "Boku no Mita Beatles wa TV no Naka" on BMG's Funhouse record label, and had his first one-man concert at Nissin Power Station on September 17.

His first album, Aoi Sora no Shita..., followed on September 26, 1993.

Saito's 1994 song "Aruite Kaerō" was used in the Fuji TV children's show ''Hirake!

Ponkikki''.

His fourth album Fire Dog was released in February 1996.

Saito's first release to reach the top-ten on the Oricon music charts was his 1997 album Dilemma.

His seventh album, March 2000's Cold Tube, was his first after switching record labels to Victor's Speedstar.

In 2006, Saito and other musicians born in 1966 performed under the name Roots66 for an event put together by FM802.

After 15 years in the music business, Saito's popularity exploded between 2007 and 2008.

In 2007, his songs "Wedding Song" and "Ai ni Kite" were hits after being featured in popular TV commercials.

Saito's March 2007 album Kurenai-ban is officially labelled a "concept album" because the songs are all about love.

With few exceptions, it is mainly composed of covers of songs by other artists.

His 12th studio album I Love Me was released in October 2007.

The August 2008 compilation Utautai 15 Singles Best 1993–2007 reached fourth place on the Oricon Albums Chart.

Music news websites reported that another reason for the late success was that celebrities, including some of which grew up listening to his music, were publicly praising Saito, such as Ryo Nishikido, Riko Narumi, Kazutoshi Sakurai and Puffy.

Saito covered "Hells Bells" for the March 2008 AC/DC tribute album Thunder Tracks.

He has made guest appearances with the rock band Lazy since 2008.

15 years later, its song "Sora ni Hoshi ga Kirei" was chosen to be the theme of the 2009 film Kichijōji no Asahina-kun.

He is a featured artist on the 2009 version of their 1980 song "Kanjite Knight" for the TV show Shin Mazinger Shōgeki! Z Hen!.

Saito composed the music to "Niji ga Kieru Made", which Kyōko Koizumi sang as the theme of the 2009 film Honokaa Boy.

His song "Don't Worry Be Happy" was a theme song of the variety show Mezanyu~, while "Ai no Akari" was the theme of the TV drama Limit -Keiji no Genba 2-.

At Nishikido's request, Saito wrote the title track for his band Kanjani Eight's album Puzzle.

He also wrote "Hare Onna" for Puffy's 2009 album Bring It!.

Saito's album Tsuki ga Noboreba was released in September 2009, and includes "Phoenix" which he wrote in memoriam Kiyoshiro Imawano.

For Fumiya Fujii's 2009 album F's Cinema, Saito wrote the song "Tsumihoroboshi".

Saito provided vocals to "Kimi to Boku 2010" for Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra's 2010 album World Ska Symphony.

In 2013, Saito became the first Japanese musician to have a signature model acoustic guitar with Gibson.

As of 2020, he had six signature models with them and one with Epiphone.

Saito was born to parents who worked for a toy maker in Mibu, Tochigi.

He has two sisters, one older and one younger.

He started playing with a guitar in elementary school.

Due to his elder sister's influence, in junior high and high school he became addicted to hard rock acts like the Michael Schenker Group, Kiss, Aerosmith, Van Halen and AC/DC.

Around the same time, he was in a Loudness cover band.

Saito graduated from Sakushin Gakuin high school.

He dropped out of Yamanashi Gakuin University.