After making a debut as a professional singer in 1958, Hirao became a star and led the Japanese rockabilly boom together with Mickey Curtis and the late Keijiro Yamashita.

Hirao emerged as a composer in the 1960s. Hit songs that he composed include "Kiri no Mashuko" and "Seto no Hanayome."

He established a music school in 1974. "Kanada kara no Tegami," a duet song he sang with Yoko Hatanaka, who had been a student of the school, also became a hit.

In 2003, he received the Medal with Purple Ribbon from the government.

He served as executive at the Japan Composers Association and the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers, or JASRAC. (Jiji Press)