G. N. Balasubramaniam

Gudalur Narayanaswamy Balasubramaniam , popularly known as GNB, was a vocalist in the Carnatic tradition. He innovated the art through emphasis on laya control and reducing the gamakas which eventually made Carnatic music appeal to the lay and the learned alike. He was also a Tamil film actor.

Balasubramaniam was born in Gudalur, a small village near Mayavaram in the erstwhile Tanjore district, India. He was the son of G. V. Narayanaswamy Iyer and Visalam Ammal. His father was a keen student of music. Throughout his younger years, he observed with utmost attention the techniques of the musicians of his day. Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar became his manasika guru and inspiration. While his father dreamed of living in a villa at Luz Church road through GNB becoming a successful lawyer, the young musician in G.N.B made way for greater goals in life. He completed his B.A. in English Literature at the prestigious Christian College, Chennai, and took up a short music course at Annamalai University. under the guidance of T.S. Sabesa Iyer, but discontinued due to ill health. However, he joined the diploma course in music under Madras University in the first batch and Tiger Varadachariar, direct disciple of Patnam Subramanya Ayyar, was the Principal . Withinyears, he was ready for con

Source: Wikipedia