Kishore Kumar Ran My Family: Goutam Ghosh

RBN Web Desk: Goutam Ghosh, best remembered for his covers of Kishore Kumar songs, has said that the legendary playback singer helped him make both ends meet. It was only by singing Kishore’s songs that he was able to run his family, Goutam told a leading Bengali daily.

The cover singer started singing professionally since 1974. He was a major attraction in nightlong musical soirees that were widely common in Kolkata and district towns in West Bengal.

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Goutam travelled to Mumbai in 1984 to meet Kishore Kumar personally as he believed that his style of singing did not resemble the hugely popular singer-songwriter. After several days of trying, Goutam was able to meet Kishore, who advised him to sing in his own style without any resemblance or mannerism. Kishore warned that Goutam would become just an average singer if he tried to copy him.

Goutam, since then, stopped imitating Kishore and started singing in his own style. But the hangover often came into his performance, Goutam said, adding that none would have known him had he not sung Kishore’s songs.

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Even until the late nineties Goutam was usually the final artiste in overnight soirees. He never had a song list while taking the stage and sang according to the audience mood.