Japanese rock vocalist Shogo Hamada was born in Hiroshima on December 29, 1952. He studied at the Mitsuta High School and Kanagawa University, but quit college after two years. His entry into the music business came in the early '70s, as a member of AIDO, the support band for pop star Takuro Yoshida. Hamada went out on his own in 1976 with his debut solo album -- loosely translated as Far from One's Birthplace. Three years later, his Time of Your Life album proved him a star in his own right, as Hamada picked up a devoted following among Japanese youth. He has been a constant on the pop charts since. ~ John Bush