Yesudas was born in Fort Kochi to Augustine Joseph and Alice Kutty. His father, who was a well-known Malayalam classical musician and stage actor, was his first guru. 

He later joined the R.L.V. Music Academy in Trippunithura near Kochi for further training.

He then studied at the Sree Swati Thirunal Music College here under the tutelage of late Semmangudy Sreenivasa Iyer and, due to financial constraints, had to abandon his studies midway.

For a brief period, he was with Sri Vechur Hari Hara Subramania Iyer, after which he took advanced training from Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar.

Over the years, he has been conferred the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, besides seven national and 17 state film awards in singing.

A father of three, his second son, Vijay Yesudas, emulated his father by winning his first ever state film award for singing in 2007.

Though settled in Chennai now, he comes in the state often and also owns a home in Florida.