Born December 11, 1948, Shinji Tanimura first gained fame in his native Japan in the 1970s as one of the founders of the band Alice. After Alice ended, he released his most famous song, “Subaru”, in 1980. Moved to write the song because of a visit to China, it became an enormous hit, as well as a cornerstone in the advancement of relations between the two countries, a cause he continued to work for throughout his career. It also made Tanimura one of the most multi-national singing stars throughout the region. In addition to composing regularly for other singers, including his friends Alan Tam and Leslie Cheung, Tanimura played concerts in venues throughout Asia like South Korea, Thailand, Beijing, and Hong Kong. After performing a 2003 benefit show in which he raised over 15 million Yen to help fight the SARS epidemic in China, he took a position teaching at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 2004. He performed “Subaru” at China’s World Expo Opening Ceremony in 2010, and his status as a musical humanitarian was solidified when Japan and China asked him to put together a concert to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the two country’s official friendly relationship.
