Masako Mori

is a Japanese idol, enka singer, and actress. Biography In 1973, she was part of "a hit female trio", which also included musicians Momoe Yamaguchi and Junko Sakurada. The music trio became popular as part of the television program Producing the Stars (Star Tanjō!); they were known as "The Trio of Third-Year Junior High School Students" ("Hana no Chu 3 Trio"). She debuted in 1972, at age 13, with the song (Professor), receiving numerous music awards for it. The song reached the #3 position on the Oricon charts. Other hits include (Classmates), "Chugaku Sannensei" (Junior High School Third Grade), "Okaasan" (Mother) and "Ettou Tsubame" (The Wintering Swallow). She won the Best Singer prize for "Ettou Tsubame" at the 25th Japan Record Awards. She retired when she married Shinichi Mori in 1986, but in 2006 returned to the stage with the single "Bara Iro no Mirai". The song reached the #14 position on the Oricon charts.