|
K.J.YESDUDAS
|
Full
Name |
Kattasery
Joseph Yesudas |
Intimately
known as |
'Dasettan' |
Date
of birth |
10-Jan-1940 |
Place
of birth |
Fort
Cochin, Kerala, India |
Family |
Father-Augistine
Joseph (well-known singer and stage actor)
Mother-Alikkutty Joseph
Wife- Prabha
Sons- Vinod, Vijay(singer),
Vishal
|
Resides
in |
Shuttles
between Chennai,India and Fort Lauderdale, Florida
U.S.A |
Music
Gurus |
His
father, K.R.Kumarasamy(former principal of the
Music College,Kochi), Chembai Vaidyanatha
Bhagavatar.Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Kunjamvelu
Asan, P.J.Joseph,Sivaraman Nair, Ramankutty Nair. |
About
his gurus |
"Each one of them is great in his own respect. But, I would say with all humility at my disposal that I have not compromised on my individuality" |
Musical
Education |
- Started
at age five.
- In R.L.V Music academy
Thrippoonithura near Cochin for the
Ganabhooshanam course. (He completed with a
double promotion and distinction in 1960)
- Later
joined Sree Swathithirunal music
academy , Trivandrum. But not able to complete the 'Sangeetha
vidwan' course due to financial reasons.
|
Play
back singing debut |
- Malayalam-Kalpadukal
1961- Music Director: M.B.Srinivasan
-
Tamil- 'Bommai'-
Music Director:S.Balachander
-
Hindi-'Anand
Mahal'- Music Director:Salil
Chowdhary
|
Role
Models |
- Music-Mohammed
Rafi, Chembai Vaidhyanatha Bhagavathar and Bala
murali krishna.
- Social life- Shri Narayana
Guru.
|
Awards
in early life |
- At the tender age of seven, he won a gold medal for music at a local competition in Fort Cochin.
- In St.Sebastian's High School,
Pallurthi, Cochin he was the top singer for several consecutive years.
- 1957 he stood first in the
State level school youth festival carnatic vocal singing.
- 1958 gold medal in vocal singing at the all
Kerala catholic youth festival at Ernakulam.
|
Total
number of Songs |
40,000
songs in various languages. Has sang in all
Indian languages except Assamese and Kashmiri.
Has sang songs in Arabic and Russian too. |
Style
of singing |
Bharatheeya |
Honors
and awards |
-
1965-
Invited by the
then Soviet government to perform music concerts in various cities of USSR.
-
1969- Best play back singer
Malayalam. Starting from its inception in 1969 he got this award for a record number of times
so from 1987 to 1991 he opted out of the race to facilitate opportunities for fresh
talents.
-
1972
-National Award for the Best Playback Singer Song-Manushyan Mathangale Srishtichu
(Achanum Bappayum-Malayalam )
-
1973-National
award for Best Playback
Singer
Song - Padmatheerthame (Gayatri-Malayalam)
-
1973 -Padma
Shri
-
1974 -Sangeetha
Raja
-
1979
-National Award for the Best Playback Singer. Song-Gori Tera
(Chit Chor-Hindi )
-
1985-National
Award for the Best Playback Singer. Song-Akashadeshamu (Meghasandesham-Telugu)
-
1987-National
Award for the Best Play back singer Song-Unnikale Oru Kathaparayam (Unnikale Oru Kathaparayam-Malayalam)
-
1988 -'Sangeetha
Chakravarthy'
-
1989 -'Sangeetha
Sagaram'
-
1988 -Best play back
singer for the year from TamilNadu and Andhra
Pradesh
-
1989 -Annamalai university honored him with a doctorate
-
1991-
National Award for the Best Play back Singer Song-Ramakatha Ganalayam
(Bharatham-Malayalam)
-
1992 -Sangeeta
Nataka academy conferred the title of 'Aashtana Gayakan '
-
1992- Madhya Pradesh
government gave the annual ' Latha Mangeshkar award'
-
1992 -Tamil
Nadu state Government award for the Best playback singer
.
-
1992 -He received the distinguished honor of
"Star of Cochin" from the citizens of Cochin.
-
1993-National Award for the Best Playback Singer Film
Sopanam-Malayalam
-
1994- For
his unique contribution in the field of music, on World Peace Day, 1994, Mother Theresa of Calcutta honored
him with the
' NATIONAL CITIZENS AWARD'
-
2002 -'Swati Ratnam' by the Malayalee club
-
2002 -'Padma bhushan'
-
2002 -'Lifetime
Achievement Award' given by the Zee-Gold Bollywood Music Awards
-
2002 -`Ranjani Sangeetha Kalasagara' Ranjani Trust in Chennai
gave him the title 'Bhakti Sangita Geetha Sironmani' jointly by the Thirupoonthuruthy Sri Narayana Tirtha Swamigal Trust
and Saraswathi Vaggeyakara Trust.
-
2003- D.Litt
from the the University of Kerala for his outstanding contributions in music
-
2003 -Has been nominated for this year's
J C Daniel award, the highest honour given by the
Kerala State Government to those in the
field of Malayalam films.
|
Dreams |
- His
father's-His son should sing atleast
a kirtana during the Thanjavur
Thyagaraja festival(which he has fulfilled).
- His-To set up a museum on the lines of Madame Tussaud's in London, showcasing wax statues of national and international musicians.
|
Homage
to his father |
Makes it a point to sing at St Joseph's Cupola every year |
Musical
album |
'AHIMSA’
composed along with Ricardo Barrantes in which
he has sung in Latin, Sanskrit and English |
Ironic
facts in his life |
- While he was studying in Thiruvananthapuram, his father applied for a grant from the Sangeeta Nataka Academy. He did not get a reply. Years later the very same institution made
him its chairman.
- The prohibition of entry to
Hindu Temples to non-Hindus has denied him a chance to sing in Guruvayoor, Tripoonithara and Padmanabha-puram temples, though his songs in praise of these deities are regularly played in these temples' precincts.
- In his budding years
as a musician All India Radio(AIR) Trivandrum considered his voice not good for broadcasting,
but now plays his songs regularly.
|
As a
person |
Shy, but with a wonderful sense of humor.
Ability to communicate through his music is
magical. In 1971 with his musical troupe traveled from one end of Kerala to the other end to raise funds for the Prime Minister's National Defense Fund during the India-Pakistan war. |
Belief |
Believes in Shri Narayana Guru's principle of 'One caste, One religion and One God for all'. |
Music
for him |
"More than anything, my music is my life. And I am willing to sacrifice everything for music. Music is like a tapasya for me" |
Compiled by: Poongodi Sivagurunathan
Courtesy: Net
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