Casey Rankin Profile

Casey Rankin

Casey David Rankin(1946 - 2009)

Born in the United States Casey has been living in Japan since 1971.

After beginning artist with TRUK in New York at abc/dunhill(Buddah records) Releasing “Plastic People” to much acclaim in 1967, then moving to California in 1970 to work with the capital records team. Casey decided a short sabbatical was in order and came to Japan in 1971 where he began a one year intensive program of zen in a temple located in Yokohama.

In 1976, he recorded and released his first album in Japan with a band called SHORT HOPE the first project ever locally produced by an all not-Japanese band in the domesitc market. The album was released by Polydor / Kitty Records lebel. In 1978 Casey joined forces with Yoshino Fujimaru and started a band called SHOGUN.
Casey’s song and Shoguns first single “Otokotachi-no-melody” sold well over 1,000,000 copies. The Shogun album went on to win the best album award and was voted the best group. Casey recieved a number of awards as a writer and continued to be as prolific and productive to the end.

Casey received a number of awards as a writer has released 34 albums in Japan, 8 of which have gone gold and 1 going platinum.Shoguns appearance on “American Bandstand” which was broadcast via satellite live to Japan and subsequent tour with the Beach Boys created a sensation in Japan and as such Shogun became the first band ever to perform in baseball stadiums. Since Shoguns semi-retirement Casey’s range of writing became more varied. He spent quite a bit of time writing soundtracks for feature films, animation films and T.V. commercial music as well as writing music for and producing a number of Japanese recording artists, as well as accumlating over 25 solo albums. Casey continued to tour Japan and spent approximately 4 - 6 months a year touring & recording in Japan as well as the US and Europe. Many of Casey’s commercial songs have become very popular througout Japan. In particular, “I Believe in You”(All Nippon Air Lines TV CM theme), “Live is the Feeling”(Asahi Beer TV CM theme), “Met people”(Kirin Mets TV CM theme), “Wonda”(Asahi Can Coffee TV CM theme with tiger woods) and “Bad City” which is a Sapporo Can Coffee “JACK” TV commercial as well as theme songs for famous TV dramas and feature films featuring Matsuda Yusaku, are all well known and can be found, along with many of his songs on most Karaoke systems in Japan. Casey’s song “Has Everyone Gone Blind” from the self-produced album “The Reality Of Dreams” became the theme song for the International War & Peace Foundation, a sub-committe within the United Nations. The promotion video for “Has Every Gone Blind” was introduced to much acclaim during the United Nations Nuclrea Proliferation Conference in September of 1998.

live your life - like a wild beast
fly - like a bird
set no boundaries - to confine you
swell - like an ocean always - and forever

ケーシー・ランキン

作詞 / 作曲 / 編曲 / プロデュース
Guiter / Bass / Piano / Keyboards / Vocals

1946年アメリカ生まれ。

1971年に来日依頼、日本に腰を下ろす。 1974年「SHORT HOPE」結成し、キティレコードよりデビュー。 1974年春には「SHOGUN」を芳野藤丸と共に結成。 デビュー曲「男たちのメロディー」はケーシーの作品で50万枚を超える大ヒット。 1979年秋には松田優作の『探偵物語』BAD CITYを作詞、作曲。その後、映画・アニメ・CM音楽、プロデュースにと活動の場が広がり、特にCMソングには

・全日空25周年Theme Song
 『I Believe in You』
・アサヒビール『Live is The Feeling』
 作詞 / 作曲 / 編曲 / プロデュース
・キリンメッツ『METS PEOPLE』
 作詞 / 作曲 / 編曲 / プロデュース

・アサヒ缶コーヒー『WONDA』
 作詞 / 作曲 / 編曲 / プロデュース
・Shiseido Pure Pure
・Vocal & Narration(日本語)”BOCO”CMナレーション

など話題になった作品が数多くある。

1994年のソロアルバム「The Reality of Dreams」は、全米で発売。
またアルバムの中の「Has Everyone Gone Blind」は国際戦争・平和財団テーマ曲に決定し、プロモーションビデオ「Has Everyone Gone Blind」は54年9月国連会議の中でも紹介された。
その後も数多くの作品を生み出し、新人ミュージシャンの発掘、育成にも力を入れた。