Organizer Charlie Nagatani was honored for his Country music
accomplishments at the event on Oct. 20
(Nashville, Tenn. – Nov. 6, 2013) – The International Country Music Festival, Country Gold, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary event. The Japanese festival has gained a reputation as the biggest Country music festival in the Far East.
Organized by Charlie Nagatani, the event took place Oct. 20 and included performances by Aaron Tippin, Daryle Singletary, Anita Cochran, Robyn Young, and Charlie Nagatani and The Cannonballs. Over the years, many great Country acts have performed at the annual Country Gold event, including Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Alison Krauss and the Charlie Daniel’s Band.
The performances took place at the Aspecta amphitheater, which is regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful outdoor venues. Set at the base of Mt. Aso, an active volcano in Kumamoto, Prefecture, Country Gold drew more than 10,000 attendees, a 25% increase from the 2012 numbers.
“Country Gold holds a special place in my heart because it’s the very first festival I helped establish from the ground up,” said Judy Seale of JSI, Inc. who serves as Talent Coordinator for the event. “It’s hard to believe this year marked 25 successful years for the event. One of the biggest changes we have noticed in recent years is a much younger audience, which is a very exciting thing to see.”
As well as organizing the festival, Nagatani visits Nashville annually with a tour group from Japan. Nagatani has performed on the Grand Ole Opry stage 23 times and has been an active advocate of Country music for more than 60 years.
During the festival, Nagatani was honored for his dedication to Country music over the years. He was given three certificates of appreciation from the Mayor of Nashville, the Country Music Association and the Grand Ole Opry. The Academy of Country Music and the state of Tennessee House of Representatives also acknowledged him with commendation letters.
In addition to the devoted Country music fans at the concert, there were important political delegates in attendance, including Richard Mei (Cultural Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy), Margaret MacLeod (Consul for Public Affairs Director, Fukuoka American Center at the U.S. Consulate), and Governor Ikuo Kabashima.
The artists who participated in the event helped present Nagatani with his certificates of appreciation.
Pictured above L to R: Penny Philips (JSI, Inc.), Robyn Young, Charlie Nagatani, Judy Seale, Anita Cochran, Daryle Singletary and Aaron Tippin
