専修大学
Uehara was born as Rikiji Matsumoto in Ōdate, Akita Prefecture, Japan. He graduated from Senshu University, and made his professional debut with the song under the Japanese division of Polydor Records in 1936. His famous songs included the 1937 song . His vocal style, called "kobushi", became popular as the more emphatic form among modern "enka" singers.