Kyu Sakamoto

ABOUT KYU SAKAMOTO

Japanese world music singer famous for his songs "Sukiyaki," "Ashitaga Arusa" and "Kokorono Hitomi." His song "Sukiyaki" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1963.

He joined the Japanese pop-band The Drifters in 1958.

Louis Benjamin, an executive of  Pye Records, traveled to Japan in 1963, heard his song "Ue o Muite Arukō," and decided to distribute it in England under the title "Sukiyaki."

His father, Hiroshi Sakamoto, was a cargo tender officer. He had eight older siblings. In 1971, he married Yukiko Kashiwagi.

Selena Quintanilla covered one of his songs on her debut album.