Tokyo rock guitar prodigy, 9, wows U.S. crowds

NEW YORK — It's not every day that you see the frontman of a rock group flanked by band mates who are twice his height and age.

At a recent concert at the Highline Ballroom in New York City, lead singer Yuto Miyazawa is busy tuning his guitar. His drummer, Steve Grossman, taps his drumsticks for the next song, but Miyazawa turns and waves at him to stop, drawing a laugh from the audience and band mates who wait for him to get ready.

"The command he has at 9 years old is scary," said band member Randy McStine to the matinee crowd.

It is a summer vacation to remember for Miyazawa, listed by Guinness World Records as the youngest professional guitarist. The fourth-grader has been performing in the United States and appearing on TV shows since gaining an online following for his rock videos. His rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird" was viewed over 1.5 million times on YouTube and mentioned on message boards and blogs as he became the latest star in an era of instant Internet celebrity.

The interest attracted the attention of U.S. media and promoters. Miyazawa has spent his summer learning about the U.S. by touring the country, playing classic American rocks songs, and sharing the stage with some of rock music's biggest legends.

"My friends are like, 'Oh really?' They think I'm just boasting," Miyazawa said in an interview.

Steve Bernstein, president of Zenbu Media, discovered the young rocker in Japan at the Bau Haus, a popular live concert venue in Tokyo. It was Bernstein who suggested Miyazawa learn the oft-requested "Freebird" and put the performance online.

"When I saw Yuto play so effortlessly at 8 years old and so smooth, I felt he had to be shared on a much bigger stage with the world," said Bernstein. "I believe he will be one of the best guitarists in the world someday and the No. 1 Asia rock star. He might already be that."

Originally from Tokyo, Miyazawa started playing when he was 3, taking after his father, Tsuneo, who also plays the guitar and is an avid rock fan. But Miyazawa, who has a penchant for guitar solos, quickly surpassed his father's talents.

"My dad doesn't play that much anymore," he said. "He can't keep up with me. He has different interests now."

Miyazawa said his music is influenced by Randy Rhoads, Eric Clapton and Metallica. He has already shared the stage with legendary guitarists, including G.E. Smith and Les Paul, who recently died. But his favorite is Ozzy Osbourne, whom he met for the first time this year on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show."

"I was surprised. I didn't really talk to him much, but I asked him to come to Japan," he said.

Nowadays he practices guitar for less than an hour a day and takes half-hour lessons once a week. He polishes his singing by taking weekly English lessons, making it easier to converse with fans asking for his autograph and pictures.

Despite minimal preparation and sharing the stage with band mates who are much older, Miyazawa said he does not have any preperformance jitters. He effortlessly performs Black Sabbath's "Crazy Train," Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" and of course, "Freebird." He also debuted an original song with English lyrics titled "Ikimashou" ("Let's Go"), though currently he said there are no plans for an album.

For his encore, Miyazawa played "The Star-Spangled Banner" in a manner similar to Jimi Hendrix's famous performance at Woodstock in 1969.

For the young rocker, who has an interest in history, his performance at a New York Mets game on Aug. 18 could not have been more fitting as he played the U.S. national anthem in front of the home crowd at Citi Field.

"I know a little about American history now," Miyazawa said.