Gopalam learned vocal music and playing the violin under Varanasi Brahmayya Sastry in Vijayawada.
Gopalam was an active member of the Praja Natya Mandali in Guntur district and campaigned in favour of the poor and downtrodden.
While working as a vocalist at All India Radio, singing the songs of Devulapalli Krishna Sastry and Viswanatha Satyanarayana, he met and married a fellow singer named Renuka.
He began working in Telugu films on the invitation of Tatineni Prakasa Rao.
He later became an independent music director for the film Nala Damayanthi in Telugu and Kannada.