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Not Your Grandfather's Music: Tsugaru Shamisen Blurs the Lines Between "Folk," "Traditional," and "Pop"

This paper explores the ways in which Tsugaru shamisen musicians combine innovative techniques with a reverence for the past, producing music that constantly shifts between the categories of "folk," "traditional," and "pop." I will demonstrate these qualities by examining the recordings, live performances, and images of some of Tsugaro shamisen's biggest stars the Yoshida Brothers and Agatsuma Hiromitsuin the context of Tsugaro shamisen's rich history, the music's previous booms, and its growing international exposure.