Johnny's

Johnny's (ジャニーズ) was an idol group from 1962 to 1967 under Johnny's Jimusho. They are considered to be one of the first idol groups in Japan.

Members

• Maie Hiromi (真家ひろみ; Leader)
• Iino Osami (飯野おさみ)
• Nakatani Ryou (中谷良)
• Aoi Teruhiko (青井輝彦)

Information

The group was formed in 1962 after Johnny Kitagawa, a baseball coach at the time, scouted the members to become teammates on the team, Johnny's Young Boy Baseball team. They debuted later that year on the NHK television program Yume de Aimashou. For about a year, the group served as background vocalists and dancers for singers like Itou Yukari. The group finally debuted officially as singers in late 1964 with the single Wakai Namida. The group gained popularity with hits like Taiyou no Aitsu, and they were able to appear on the 18th Annual Kouhaku Utagassen in 1965, doing a jazz number to a popular 60's song, Mac the Knife.

In 1966, the group had set plans to debut in America. While there, they signed a contract with Warner Bros., which had them attending dance lessons and recording sessions for three months. The result of this practice was the release of their single, Never My Love in 1967, which hit the #2 position on Pan-American charts. However, the group soon headed back to Japan, since their popularity there was beginning to slip due to a cancellation of their promotional film.

When Johnny's returned to America, they released more singles and starred in a musical about the group Four Leaves. However, on November 1967, the group held their last concert at Shibuya Town Hall before breaking up. Two years later, the group briefly reunited for an All Star Japan Song Festival.

Discography

Albums

• [1966.xx.xx] Johnny's to America Ryoukou ~Johnny's Show Jikkou Rokuon (ジャニーズとアメリカ旅行 ～ジャニーズショウ実況録音)

Singles

• [1964.12.xx] Wakai Namida (若い涙)
• [1965.05.xx] Wakai Yoru (若い夜)
• [1965.06.xx] Honoo no Curve (焔のカーブ)
• [1965.06.xx] Girl Happy (ガール・ハッピィ)
• [1965.10.xx] Eikou no March (栄光のマーチ)
• [1966.01.xx] Kimi ga Wakamono Nara (君が若者なら)
• [1966.04.xx] Naiteita Genie (泣いていたジェニー)
• [1966.05.30] Batman (バットマン)
• [1966.08.xx] Ooi Waai Chichichi (オーイわーいチチチ)
• [1967.04.xx] Taiyou no Aitsu (太陽のあいつ)
• [1967.10.xx] Itsuka Doko ka de (いつか何処かで)
• [1967.12.xx] Wakai Nihon no Uta (若い日本の歌)

External Links

• Japanese Wikipedia: ジャニーズ