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Country MusumeBackground/History Country Musume (カントリー娘。) is a female pop group in the Hello! Project umbrella of singers (the more popular idols within H!P include Morning Musume, Aya Matsuura, Maki Goto, and others). The group was formed in 1999 and was billed as "Country Girls from Hokkaido". The initial group consisted of members and Hokkaido natives Rinne Toda, Azusa Kobayashi, and Hiromi Yanagihara. Shortly after release of their first single in July 1999, Hiromi was killed in a car accident. After the tragedy, Azusa departed from the group and Rinne carried on as a soloist, releasing 2 singles under the "Country Musume" name by herself. In summer of 2000, Asami Kimura was added to the group and the duo released one more single. Their popularity rose when Morning Musume's Rika Ishikawa, who's from Kanagawa and not Hokkadio, was lent into the group in April 2001. The trio, under the name "Country Musume featuring Rika Ishikawa (Morning Musume)", released 2 singles and an album. Early in 2002, Mai Satoda was recruited into the group. (Mai initially auditioned to be a Morning Musume member but was recruited into Country Musume instead.) The quartet released one single before Rinne, the remaining original member, bid farewell at the end of 2002. Afterwards, Asami, Rika, and Mai released one more single. In mid-2003, Country Musume had a major shift in its roster. Miuna Saito, who's from Shizuoka, was recruited into the group. Instead of Rika Ishikawa, the group will now feature Asami Konno and Miki Fujimoto from Morning Musume (both are Hokkaido natives). Under this new formation (named "Country Musume ni Konno to Fujimoto"), the quintet has released three singles as of date. In 2004 Country Musume (but not the featured singers) participated in Hello! Project's Folk Songs CD (fifth in the series), where various H!P artists sing covers of Japanese and Western folk songs. Discography Singles
1. Futari no Hokkaido (07/23/1999) - Hiromi Yanagihara, Azusa Kobayashi, Rinne Toda
2. Yuki Geshiki (11/30/1999) - Rinne Toda
3. Hokkaido Shalala (04/27/2000) - Rinne Toda
4. Koi ga sutekina kisetsu (07/31/2000) - Rinne Toda, Asami Kimura
5. Hajimete no Happy Birthday (04/18/2001) - Rinne Toda, Asami Kimura, featuring Rika Ishikawa
6. Koibito wa kokoro no uendan (10/17/2001) - Rinne Toda, Asami Kimura, featuring Rika Ishikawa
7. Iroppoi Onna ~SEXY BABY!~ (04/17/2002) - Rinne Toda, Asami Kimura, Mai Satoda, featuring Rika Ishikawa
8. BYE BYE! Saigo no Yoru (11/13/2002) - Asami Kimura, Mai Toda, featuring Rika Ishikawa
9. Uwaki na Honey Pie (07/23/2003) - Asami Kimura, Mai Satoda, Miuna Saito, featuring Miki Fujimoto and Asami Konno
10. Senpai - LOVE AGAIN - (11/12/2003) - Asami Kimura, Mai Satoda, Miuna Saito, featuring Miki Fujimoto and Asami Konno
11. Shining Itoshiki Anata (04/08/2004) - Asami Kimura, Mai Satoda, Miuna Saito, featuring Miki Fujimoto and Asami Konno
Album
1. Taizenshyou 1 (12/12/2001) - Rinne Toda, Asami Kimura, featuring Rika Ishikawa
Member Profiles Current Members 'Asami' (あさみ)
Real Name: Asami Kimura (木村麻美)
Birthdate: 02/22/84
Homeland: Hokkaido
Nickname: Asamichan
In H!P Groups: Country Musume, 7 nin Matsuri, Happy 7, 11 Water
'Mai Satoda' (里田まい)
Birthdate: 10/31/84
Homeland: Hokkaido
Nickname: Hitomichan
In H!P Groups: Country Musume, Sexy 8, 7 Air, ROMANS 'Miuna' (みうな)
Real Name: Miuna Saito (斉藤美海)
Birthdate: 02/12/87
Homeland: Shizuoka
In H!P Group: Country Musume 'Miki Fujimoto' (藤本美貴) - featured singer from Morning Musume
Birthdate: 02/26/85
Homeland: Hokkaido
Nickname: Mikitty
In H!P Groups: Country Musume, Morning Musume, Morning Musume Otomegumi, soloist, Gomattou, Odoru 11, 11 Water 'Asami Konno' (紺野あさ美) - featured singer from Morning Musume
Birthdate: 05/07/87
Homeland: Hokkaido
Nickname: Konkon
In H!P Groups: Country Musume, Morning Musume, Morning Musume Sakuragumi, Tanpopo, Odoru 11, 11 Water Former Members 'Hiromi' (ひろみ)
Real Name: Hiromi Yanagihara (柳原尋美)
Birthdate: 09/19/81
Homeland: Hokkaido
Notes: Passed away in car accident shortly after release of 1st single in July 1999 'Azusa' (あずさ)
'Azusa Kobayashi' (小林梓)
Birthdate: 01/30/77
Homeland: Hokkaido
Notes: left group shortly after Hiromi's death 'Rinne' (りんね)
Real name: Rinne Toda (戸田鈴音)
Birthdate: 02/06/81
Homeland: Hokkaido
In H!P Groups: Country Musume, 10 nin Matsuri, Odoru 11 'Rika Ishikawa' (石川梨華) - former featured member from Morning Musume
Birthdate: 01/19/85
Nickname: Charmy
Homeland: Kanagawa
In H!P Groups: Country Musume, Morning Musume, Morning Musume Otomegumi, Tanpopo, ROMANS, 3 Nin Matsuri, Sexy 8, 7 Air, Biyuuden
Notes: Will be graduating from Morning Musume in May 2005 to concentrate her work with Biyuuden.
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