Carnatic Musician and Playback singer.
Birth
M.L.Vasanthakumari was born on 3rdJuly1928 to a Musician parents KuthanurAyyaSwamyIyer and Lalithangi in Madras of Madras Presidency in British India .
Education
M.L.Vasanthakumari completed his schoolings in a convent in Madras.
Personal Life
In 1951, M.L.Vasanthakumari married Kalaimamani Vikatan R.Krishnamurthy. The couple had two children K.Shankarraman and K.Srividya. Her daughter K.Srividya is a well-known South Indian Actress, who had acted in the languages like Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.
M.L.Vasanthakumari Life Career
M.L.Vasanthakumari got the privilege to learn the Carnatic Music from G.N.Balasubramanian. Before meeting her guru, she had an interest to pursue the medical career. In 1925, sang a tribute song with patriotism after the death of the Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das. During 1940, when she was 12 years old, her mother Lalithangi gave a musical recital in Simla. She was debut as a singer by accompanying her mother. In 1942, after two years from her first concert, M.L.Vasanthakumari gave a solo recital in Bangalore. After she cut her first 78 rpm disc, she became the platform artist.
As per a music criticizer, M.L.Vasathakumari has given the successful end to the women’s struggle in the music field. In her music, extra male features are found than any other female musician. Later in 1946, she became a playback singer. In 1950, she became the top rank singer. She sang the KalyanaGopalam under the composition of NarayanaTeertha in the Sindhubhairavi raga. In 1951, she sang the EllamInbamayan in the film Manamagal and ChinnachiruKiliyae (which was the evergreen composition of Bharathiyar). Both songs hit the screen and brought her a huge success. Later in 1960, M.L.Vasanthakumari sang another Ragamalika song “Parkadal Alaimele”
M. L. Vasanthakumari’s Accompanists
The Mridangam legend Palghat Mani Iyer was accompanying her in some of her concerts. Others were Srimusham V.Raja Rao, Mannargudi Easwaran, Thiruvarur Bhakthavathsalam, G.Harishankar for Kanjira, Seerkazhi J.Skandaprasad, Karaikudi Krishnamurthy, Thiruvarur Bakthavathsalam, Ramesh. She gave them opportunities to accompany her in the concerts.
Way of singing
M.L.Vasanthakumari way of singing, pronounced the style of her guru G.N.Balasubramaniam. But she gave her performance in her own speed and manner of singing. With her molten voice and rich pronunciation, she attracted the musical audiences. In her music, the musical artistry, Vidwat and Laya had been the carnival to the cognoscenti and lay. Her presentation of the ragas of Carnatic music in an empirical, bold and convenient manner took her to the peak. She was known for her happy way of singing rather than the emotional style of singing. Her vocal techniques were broad and expansive, which she used while singing. She sang very easily such that her kalpana swaras and alaphanas fitted the Shruthi-Bheda. Her singing made her fans to experience the same excellent feelings, while hearing her singing. Her combinations of ragas like Bhairavi-Kamas, Abhogi-Valaji and others were popular among her audiences .
M. L. Vasanthakumari’s composition
M.L.Vasanthakumari had sung for many composers like S.M.Subbaiah Naidu, C.R.Subburaman, S.Dakshinamuthi, G.Ramanathan, K.V.Mahadevan, Pendyala Nageshwara Rao, Viswanthan-Ramamoorthy, ChittorV.Nagaiah, T.Chalapathi Rao, Vedha, S.Rajeswara Rao, R.Sudharsanam, R.Govardhanam, T.R.Pappa, M.S.Ganamani, T.A.Kalyanam, C.S.Jayaraman, C.N.Pandurangan, S.V.Venkatraman, Kunnakudi Moorthy, G.Aswathama, G.Devarajan, K.Raghavan, K.G.Moorthy, Kunnakudi Venkatrama Iyer, Ghantasala, Master Venu , Shankar-Jaikishan, T.G.Lingappa. She gave the opportunities to these musicians, who escorted her during the concerts .
Duets of M. L. Vasanthakumari
She had given unforgettable duets with the famous singers Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Thiruchi Loganathan, M.K.Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, A.M.Rajah, T.A.Mothi, C.S.Jayaraman, C.R.Subburaman, G.K.Venkatesh, V.N.Sundharam, P.B.Sreenivas, T.M.Soundararajan, V.N.Sundharam, V.Dakshinamoorthy, K.S.George and J.Yesudas. She had also gave duets with other female singers like N.L.Ganasaraswathi, P.Leela, Radha Jayalakshmi, T.V.Rathinam, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, A.P.Komala, Jikki, P.Bhanumathi, K.Jamuna, T.S.Bagavathi, A.P.Komala, Rathnamala, Vani Jairam, K.Jamuna Rani, P.Susheela, S.Janaki, and K.S.Chitra .
M. L. Vasanthakumari singing in her films
M.L.Vasanthakumari was the playback singer for period between late 1940s to mid 1960s. She had sung songs in many films like Krishna Bakthi, Raja Mukthi, Kanniyin Kaadhali, Nallathambi, Nam Naadu, Vazhkai, Beedala Patlu, Ezhai Padum Padu, Manthiri Kumari, Parijatham, Prasanna, Manamagal, Mayamalai, Navvithe Navaratnalu, Or Iravu, Peli Kooturu, Pelli Kooturu, Rajabal, Saudamani, Soudamani, Andhaman Kaidhi, En Thangai, Kanchana, Kanjana, Monndru Pillaigal, Mr.Sampat, Mugguru Kodukkulu, Panam, Parasakthi, Penn manam, Puratchi Veeran, Shyamala, Velaikari Magal, Aasai Magan, Anbu, Aashadeepam, En Veedu, Gumastha, Inspector, Jatagam, Kangal, Kodarikam, Manam Pola Mangalyam, Mamiyar, Manidhanum Mirugamum, Manithan, Naa Illu, Marumagal, Naalvar, Naam, Ulagam, Vazha Pirandhaval, Bedara Kannappa, Ammaiyappan, Kanavu, Kudumbam, Pudhu Yugam, Pudhu Yugam, Ratha Kaneer, Sri Kalahastiswara Mahatyam, Thookku Thookki, Ratha Paasam, Vaira Malai, Thuli Visham, Adarsha Sathi, Kalvanin Kadhali, Kaveri, Maheswari, Koteeswaran and Valliyin Selvan.
Awards
In 1970, she won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. Then she got the Doctrate degree for music from the Mysore University for her musical contributions (for singing Purandaradasa compositions in South India) in 1976.
In 1977, she won the Padma Bhusan award. Later in 1987, she won the Sangeetha Kalasikhamani from the Indian Fine Arts Society in Chennai.
Death
M.L.Vasanthakumari died at an age of 62, in 1990.