World-renowned fiddler Shoji Tabuchi returns to Branson stage with new, live show

This spring, Branson welcomes one of the city's longest-running performers back on stage.

After about a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19, world-renowned fiddler and entertainer Shoji Tabuchi will perform a one-year live show, "An Evening with Shoji," at Little Opry Theatre in Branson's IMAX Entertainment Complex.

The live performance will include history about Tabuchi's life and many of the musician's most popular songs.

Little Opry Theatre seats about 200 people and will provide an "intimate" opportunity for guests "to get up close and personal" with Tabuchi, said Tom Forster, senior vice president of theater operations and marketing for Branson's IMAX Entertainment Complex.

Inspiration for the show came from the screening of "Shoji Tabuchi: An American Dream," a documentary that chronicles Tabuchi's life. The film served as the opening of Branson's IMAX Entertainment Complex's 9th annual Military Film Festival in November 2021.

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From humble beginnings to widespread success

Born in Osaka, Japan, Tabuchi moved to the United States in 1967 with $600 to his name.

"Surprisingly, his greatest problem was not the language, but rather trying to convince club owners that he was indeed a country fiddler," The Shoji Tabuchi Show website states.

It didn't take long for Tabuchi to land a gig. In 1968, he performed two nights in a row at Ryman Auditorium on The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Initially, Tabuchi was invited to perform by "King of Country Music" Roy Acuff. Tabuchi has played The Grand Ole Opry 27 times.

Tabuchi's first visit to Branson was in 1981 to perform at Starlite Theatre, a venue that has since closed. Eight years later, Tabuchi opened The Shoji Tabuchi Theatre with the debut of The Shoji Tabuchi Show. Over the years, the theatre expanded and relocated.

In 2017, the theatre at its current location at 3260 Shepherd of the Hills Expressway, was damaged by a fire. According to previous Springfield News-Leader reporting, while the fire was contained to a space of 10 by 10 feet, much of the venue was impacted by smoke or water sprinklers. Since then, the theatre has remained closed and The Shoji Tabuchi Show has been held at Clay Cooper Theatre.

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Throughout his music career, Tabuchi has won many awards, including The Missourian Award, Japanese Foreign Minister's Award and Americanism Medal from Daughters of The American Revolution. In 2020, Tabuchi was inducted into the National Fiddler Hall of Fame.

"Shoji has been one of the largest draws to Branson since the 1990s," Forster said. "Once he built his theatre, he was selling out shows — over 2,000 seats per show. He's performed for millions of people right here in Branson, so he's a legend to our community and he's a legend across the nation."

"An Evening with Shoji" opens this spring and will continue through the holiday season in December. Show dates have yet to be announced, but Forster said he expects the show to begin around late April or early May.

For more information, visit the Branson IMAX Entertainment Center website.

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Shoji Tabuchi, world-renowned fiddler, returns to Branson stage