Amar Singh Chamkila

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Amar Singh Chamkila
Background information
Birth name	Dhani Ram
Also known as	Chamkila
Born	(1960-07-21)21 July 1960 Dugri, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Died	8 March 1988(1988-03-08) (aged 27) Mehsampur, Punjab, India
Genres	Punjabi duets, solos, folk, religious
Occupation(s)	Singer, musician, composer
Instrument(s)	Vocals, tumbi, harmonium, dholak
Years active	1979–1988
Labels	HMV
Spouse(s)	Gurmail Kaur, Amarjot

Amar Singh Chamkila (21 July 1960 – 8 March 1988) was an Indian singer and musician of Punjabi music. Chamkila's vivid language, high-pitched vocals, and novel compositions accompanied by tumbi made him popular. His music was influenced by the Punjabi village life in which he grew up.^[1] On 8 March 1988, at the height of his popularity during the insurgency in Punjab, India, Chamkila and his second wife Amarjot were killed along with two members of their band in an assassination which remains unsolved.^[2]

Chamkila was an influential Punjabi artist and live stage performer, often called the "Elvis of Punjab". His first recorded song was "Takue Te Takua", and his hits include "Pehle Lalkare Naal" and the devotional songs "Baba Tera Nankana", "Tar Gayi Ravidas Di Pathri", and "Talwar Main Kalgidhar Di". Though he never recorded it himself, he wrote the song "Jatt Di Dushmani", which has been performed by many other Punjabi artists.