Among the distinguished nagaswaram artists, Vedaranyam Vedamurthy holds a significant place. Born on 10 September 1924 to Gopalaswami, a nagaswaram player, and Kamu Ammal (daughter of tavil vidwan Ammachatharam Kannuswami Pillai), Vedamurthy carved out a unique identity through the captivating tone and the modifications he made to his instrument. His grandfather, Ammachatharam Kannuswami Pillai, was a master of the tavil, under whom even the great T.N. Rajaratnam Pillai honed his skills. Vedamurthy was trained in both vocal music and nagaswaram by his maternal uncle A.K. Ganesa Pillai. In his early years, Vedamurthy also acted and sang in films, including Thayumanavar, which featured M.M. Dandapani Desikar.