June Yamagishi (山岸 潤史, born Junshi Yamagishi, June 6, 1953, Ise City, Mie Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese guitarist based in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the guitarist for bands Papa Grows Funk and the Wild Magnolias.

He has been active in the Japanese blues and jazz scene since the early 1970s. In 1972, he formed the West Road Blues Band in Kyoto along with vocalist Takashi "Hotoke" Nagai, guitarist Shinji Shiotsugu, bassist Tadashi Kobori, and drummer Teruo Matsumoto. The band soon became one of the main acts in then thriving blues scene in the Kansai region.

In 1975, Yamagishi went on to join a soul band named So Bad Revue, and in 1979, he released the first album under his name titled "Really?"

During the 1980s, he played with bands Myx and Chickenshack (a Japanese band different from the British one) and in the 1990s, he formed the Band of Pleasure with guitarist David T. Walker and drummer James Gadson and released three albums before they disbanded.

In 1995, Yamagishi left his well-established career behind in Japan to live in New Orleans where he still lives today. Since he found his home in the Crescent City, he has played with musicians including Earl King, Henry Butler, Davell Crawford, Marva Wright, George Porter, Jr. among many others aside from the two groups he has been a member of.

In 2007, he reunited with West Road Blues Band guitarist Shinji Shiotsugu to record Together Again - Blues in New Orleans. It was an all blues album recorded in New Orleans, with support from the local musicians including John Gros and Marva Wright.

In 2011, he appeared on the HBO series Treme, in the episode "Santa Clause, Do You Ever Get The Blues". He auditioned for the band The Soul Apostles, and after playing "Fire on The Bayou" and "Love and Happiness" was successfully employed.

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Shinji Shiotsugu "Blues Guitar Master" - a lot of people that saw him say it referred to that his guitar was playing him. In 1971, he formed the "West Road Blues Band" in Kyoto and that led him to be the opening act for a BB King concert in Osaka. Shinji Shiotsugu is also the founder of the blues boom in Japan. WRBB is a legend in the history of the Japanese rock scene today.

His guitar style has become an enormous influence on many musicians. It may due to his wide range of music beyond the blues. His guitar playing is very rich in imagination, and rich in improvisation. In addition to the traditional blues, jazz, and soul, he makes you familiar with a variety of other American funk and African music.He is also very involved in the core rhythms of black music, and also has deep knowledge of African music. For that, his performance is backed by a deep feeling for this black music,

This began with BB King, who is called now "The King Of The Blues", and bassist Paul Jackson,who was one of Herbie Hancocks' colleagues and played an important role in forging what is now known as the modern funk style. The pianist Joe Sample ,who was known as a menber of The Crusaders, also had a session with him. He has now attracted high praise from many of the world's top musicians that have played together with him.

He now lives in Kyoto and lives the life of the "session" musician. He also continues to play a variety of his blues roots, which is ever evolving. Without a doubt, in Japan he is the leading guitarist that continues to influence Japan's current blues scene that exists today.


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