Dharwad :

Music lovers of Dharwad will never forget September, 5, 2009. For, this was the day they saw renowned playback singer P B Sreenivas performing live at theKarnatakaVidyavardhakaSangha hall. The veteran playback singer who rendered old, popularKannada film songs left the audience spellbound. It was a privilege for the citizens to felicitate him on the occasion.

Sreenivas had agreed to give an interview to TOI during his visit to Dharwad in 2009 and when this correspondent went to his hotel room at the appointed time the singer was not to be seen anywhere in the hotel. The staff also did not know where he had gone. Sreenivas’ son, who also had come down to Dharwad along with his father, got worried. After searching for a little while, Sreenivas was found sitting in a nearby restaurant sipping tea and scribbling some lines of poems. He said he was composing a poem and found the hotel room not inspiring and hence set out to a nearby restaurant.

Shared his experiences in life, Sreenivas had explained how his mother Sheshagiriamma had great influence on him. “It was my mother’s singing of devotional songs at home which made me go for music,” he had said. When asked why he did not pursue classical music, Shrinivas had said he did not get an opportunity to learn under an able guru.

Recalling his association with matinee idol, Rajkumar with reverence, Sreenivas remembered how he had been identified as  the voice of Rajkumar for several decades till the actor started singing for himself.

“Rajkumar used to call me as ‘Shaareera’ (Voice) while he referred to himself as ‘Sharira’ (Body). Rajkumar had a golden voice and all his songs are hugely popular. He excelled in singing all types of songs from romantic to heavily classical. After ”Yare Koogadali ” he sang for most of his movies and for many private albums which were mainly devotional songs,” Sreenivas had recollected.

‘Aadisi Nodu’ was a hit among BJP ministers

Kannada film song “Aadisi Nodu, Beelisi Nodu, Uruli Hogadu,” sung by Sreenivas had become a favourite with BJP ministers and MLAs having allegiance to B S Yeddyurappa, when the latter was the chief minister and there were attempts by his detractors to topple his government in Karnataka. They had set this song as the caller tune on their cellphones.

File photo of PBS speaking at a function held at Dharwad on September 5,2009.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hubli / by Gururaj Jamkhandi, TNN / April 15th, 2013