Fuji Honors Imawano

The Fuji Rock Festival in Japan will present a special tribute concert to Kiyoshiro Imawano, who died May 2 and was the unofficial mayor of the festival.

The fest has assembled an impressive lineup of musicians to pay their respects to Japan’s most idiosyncratic rock and soul singer.

The tribute will be led by Kiyoshiro’s most recent backup band, Nice Middle with New Blue Day Horns.

Among the guests are female vocalists Leyona, UA and Chara; Ulfuls frontman Tortoise Matsumoto; guitarists Char and former Doctor Feelgood member Wilko Johnson; folk god Shigeru Izumiya; Cro Magnons vocalist Hiroto Komoto and guitarist Masatoshi Mashima; Kiyoshiro’s old RC Succession bandmate Reichi Nakaido; and organist Booker T, who once toured behind Kiyoshiro in the 1990s with the MGs and the Memphis Horns.

The tribute will take place July 25 on the main Green Stage, just before headliners Franz Ferdinand.