Biography: Mitsutoshi Inaba

Mitsutoshi Inaba was born in Kure, Hiroshima, Japan. He earned his bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Elizabeth University of Music in Hiroshima, master’s in music education from Hyogo University of Teacher Education, and PhD in ethnomusicology from the University of Oregon. His main area is African American music and oral history, while he conducted extensive studies in the history of European art music as well with special foci on religious music in the 18th century and recorder performance practice with the collegium musicum. Inaba has highly proficient writing, editing, and translation skills. His publications include Willie Dixon: Preacher of the Blues (Rowman and Littlefield, 2011), John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson: The Blues Harmonica of Chicago’s Bronzeville and Beast: John Bonham and the Rise of Led Zeppelin (DU Books, 2024, in progress). He currently writes Steve Cropper Remembers, a series of memories of ex. guitarist of Booker T. and the MGs and the Blues Brothers Band for the Record Collectors Magazine (Japanese monthly periodical, since July 2021).

Just like Shohei Ohtani of Los Angeles Dodgers who is a homerun hitter and pitcher at the same time, Inaba works for two different disciplines on the Fisk campus. Another of his expertise is teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language. He had training at the Language Teaching Specialization program at the University of Oregon. In 2024, he started to work at the Fisk University as a fulltime instructor, because he was highly touched by the Fisk Jubilee Singers’ performance at the Ryman Auditorium in 2021. He strongly felt he should pursue his true passion on music and utilize his knowledge of Japanese language with the students and faculty members. He currently teaches two sections of music history as well as two sections of Japanese for beginners.

Education:

Ph.D - University of Oregon
Ethnomusicology

M.Ed - Hyogo University of Teacher Education 

B.Fin Arts - Elizabeth University of Music