Mieko Hirota is a Japanese popular singer. Her nickname is Mico (also spelled Miko). In 1965, Mieko became the first Japanese singer to appear at the Newport Jazz Festival. The same year she recorded “Sunny”.

In 1966 Nashville singer/songwriter Bobby Hebb released the top ten hit! Bobby wrote the song for his late brother in 1963 and was the first black man to appear at the Grand Ole Opry at the age of 12 as a member of Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys.