S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
SP Balasubramanyam (born Sripathi Panditaradhyula Balasubramanyam, commonly known as SPB) is a prolific Indian singer. Balasubramanyam was born into an orthodox Saivite family on June 4, 1946 in Konetammapeta in the then Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. He developed an interest in music and learnt the notations, instruments such as harmonium and flute on his own while listening to his father. He has a wide range and a deep rich voice and prefers to know the complete meaning of the song he sings when he does not understand the language. His fans claim that he modifies his voice to suit the voice of the actor he sings for but SPB himself has not accepted this claim.
Balasubramanyam made his debut in movies as a singer in 1966 with Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna which had music by his mentor Kodandapani. He has sung more than 30,000 songs in more than 5 different Indian languages including Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada. Thus he holds the Guinness record for the most number of recordings by any single male singer. (the female record is held by Lata Mangeshkar).
S.P. knows Hindi well enough, but has also sung in Bengali, Tulu and Oriya. He feels that vocal gimmickry cannot cover up incorrect accent, concedes that his accent and diction in Hindi are not perfect, but insists that accent is secondary to singing wherein the proper emotions are primarily needed as per the lyrics and situations. He welcomes modern technology as it enhances both speed and results.
He won the National award for best playback singing for movies such as Sankarabharanam, Rudra Veena, Ek Duje Ke Liye, Hum Apke Hai Kaun and Minnale. he has won a total of six national awards. In 2001, he was awarded the Padma Shri.
SPB, as he is shortly known, virtually monopolised playback singing for more than 15 years in the Telugu, Kannada and Tamil cinema. Winner of innumerable number of awards both at state and national levels. Hosts a popular TV show called Paadutha theeyaga on E-Tv, Paadalani Undi on MAA-TV and Ede Thumbi Haaduvenu on 'E-Tv Kannada.'
Other facets
The other angle of Balasubrahmanyam is not yet known to most of the people, that he is also a good business magnate, the ceo of some pharmacetutical factories, Chariman of Kodandapani audio labs, chennai. Apart from these, he is a good actor,dubbing artiste, producer, music director etc.