Amar Singh Chamkila

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Amar Singh Chamkila
Birth name	Dunni Ram Singh
Born	July 21, 1961 Dugri, India
Origin	Ludhiana
Died	March 8, 1988 (aged 26)
Genre(s)	Bhangra Punjabi folk songs
Occupation(s)	Musician
Years active	1979-1988
Label(s)	HMV
Website	Fansite

Amar Singh Chamkila (Punjabi: ਅਮਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਚਮਕੀਲਾ) (July 21, 1961 – March 8, 1988) was a high-profile Punjabi singer, songwriter, and musician. He is widely touted as the most influential Punjabi singer of all time. This is an incredible feat as Chamkila sang for less than a decade. He is also regarded as one of the greatest Punjabi live stage performers. In his heyday, he was known to do three stage performances in a single day.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Rise to Fame 3 Death 4 Controversy 4.1 Music 5 Discography 6 Trivia 7 References

[edit] Early life

Amar Singh Chamkila was born as Dunni Ram Singh on July 21, 1961 in the village of Dugri near Ludhiana, Punjab, India.He was born into a poor family. The youngest child of Kartar Kaur and Hari Singh, he was educated at Gujar Khan Primary School in Dugri. His aspirations of becoming an electrician were unfulfilled and he found work at a Ludhiana cloth mill.

With a natural aptitude for music, he learned to play the harmonium and dholki. Punjabi folk musician Surinder Shinda has said that in 1979, Chamkila approached him for the first time on a bicycle. When Shinda heard the 18-year-old Chamkila sing, he had finally found the protege that he had been looking for. Chamkila would go onto play alongside Punjabi folk artists such as K. Deep, Mohammad Saddiq and Surinder Shinda. He wrote several songs for Shinda and accompanied him as a member of his entourage before deciding to pursue a solo career. It is rumored that Chamkila was happy enough writing songs, but he wasn't earning enough money to look after his family, so had to start singing.

He was married and subsequently divorced. He had two daughters, one of whom has gone on to release albums of her own. These albums have contained songs written by her father.

[edit] Rise to Fame

Adopting the stage name Amar Singh Chamkila – Chamkila in Punjabi means one that glitters – he partnered up with the female vocalist Surinder Sonia and recorded eight duets. The record was released in 1979 and was produced by Charanjit Ahuja. The cunningly worded lyrics, which he had written himself, became hits across Punjab and paved the way for the unique lyrical mastery his fans would come to expect.

In 1980, Chamkila left Sonia and established a short-lived stage relationship with Miss Usha. He left Miss Usha in the same year in favor of teaming up with a female folk singer named Amarjot. Not much is known about Amarjot Kaur, except for the fact that she was previously married but left the marriage to pursue her dream of singing. Amarjot herself was a renowned singer and sang with Kuldip Manak. She would become Chamkila’s permanent singing partner providing the female vocals for his duets, that is, the majority of the songs that he wrote.

Chamkila, for the most part, wrote his own lyrics, the majority of which were boyish and suggestive, yet fluent, commentaries on extramarital affairs, alcohol and drug use. The couple’s appeal grew not only in the Punjab, but they quickly raced to international stardom among Punjabis abroad. Around this time, Chamkila was considered by some to be more popular than legends such as Kuldip Manak, Gurdas Maan and Surinder Shinda.

By the early 1980s, Chamkila and Amarjot had recorded hugely successful LPs on the HMV label and they toured Canada, U.S., Dubai and Bahrain. They were also commonly booked for wedding parties, charging a reported Rs. 4000 per performance, an unprecedented amount for the time. Chamkila sold more HMV LP records in the world then any other Punjabi singer. He was also an accomplished player of the Tumbi instrument.

Much of Chamkila’s success may be attributed to the fan-base he acquired performing in free, open-air concerts (known as Akhade in Punjabi) around Punjab. Accompanying the couple would be a harmonium and dholki player and Chamkila would play the Tumbi. The concerts served as a medium for gaining exposure and testing people’s response to new songs that were planned for future recordings. In addition to singing his own songs, Chamkila wrote several songs and sold them to other artists. Some of these include Main Digie Tilak Ke (Surinder Shinda), Gabroo Nu Marda (Jagmohan Kaur) and Deor Naal Nach Bhabiye (KS Kooner). Chamkila continued to work with Charanjit Ahuja but also experimented by working with SN Gulati (Deora Ve Tavitan Walia) & KS Narula (Mera Jee Karda).

Starting in 1985, Chamkila and Amarjot released three devotional LPs: Baba Tera Nankana, Talwar Main Kalgidhar Di Haan and Naam Jap Le. While the LPs were highly successful, none of the songs featured on them were written by Chamkila. The profits made from these LPs were reportedly donated to charities.

Chamkila’s song Pehle Lalkare Naal was featured in the soundtrack of the 1987 Punjabi film Patola. He also recorded the song Mera Jee Karda for the Punjabi film 'Dupatta'. Both films fared averagely at the box office, but still increased Chamkila's popularity. He also recorded a music video for one of his songs for the state-owned Doordarshan channel, but after his death his video was taken off the air.

Chamkila and Amarjot recorded in excess of ninety songs before they were killed in Mesumpur, Punjab in 1988. At the time of his death, he reportedly had 200 songs that had not been sung or recorded. Of these some were sung at stage shows including Dhee Mar Jai Badkar Loko, Jatt Di Dushmani and Akhiyan Di Maar Buri. Chamkila also sang another serious song on the folk hero Jeona Morh called Kaadha Soorma, which was remixed by Panjabi MC in 2007.

He also had many solo songs which have been sung in recent times by artists such as Chamak Chamkila, Nirmal Sidhu, Amar Arshi, and even his teacher Surinder Shinda. Some singers have used some of Chamkila's lyrics in their songs as part of their chorus. These include Nasha, Mere Yaar Ne (Gippy Grewal) and Shad De Vairne Yaari (Jazzy B).

[edit] Death

Having arrived to perform in Mesumpur, Punjab, both Chamkila and Amarjot were gunned down as they exited their vehicle on March 8, 1988 at approximately 2 o'clock. A gang of motorcyclists fired several rounds fatally wounding the couple and other members of the entourage. However, no arrests were ever made with connection to the shooting and the case was never solved.

There are many other conspiracy theories of why of Chamkila was killed. It is widely reported that Chamkila had been the victim of several death threats. The nature of those threats or the reasoning behind them still remains a mystery. The high-profile murder sparked a frenzy of controversy and speculation. Some of the most prominent theories explaining the killings are:

• Due to the public’s declining interest in other Punjabi singers in favor of Chamkila, one or more of these artists may have planned for his killing.

• The Khalistani separatist movement of the 1980s may have found Chamkila’s liberal and provocative lyrical content a threat to its conservative agenda. They may have arranged for his murder.

• Amarjot’s caste, Tarkhan, was commonly viewed to be higher than Chamkila’s caste. Disgraced by Amarjot’s involvement with Chamkila, her family or others may have arranged for the couple’s killing.

• Chamkila may have been murdered by an individual whom he rejected to perform for due to a scheduling conflict or otherwise.

[edit] Controversy

[edit] Music

The appeal of Chamkila’s music prominently lay in both the content of his lyrics and the delivery of those lyrics. The majority of Chamkila’s songs were about extramarital or other taboo relationships. Chamkila came under frequent criticism citing his work as offensive.

Chamkila had introduced the paradigm of modern day relationships into Punjabi folk music which had, up until then, restricted itself to singing about legendary heroes, warriors and lovers from Punjabi folk-tales. His energetic singing style and the provocative nature of his lyrics are often considered to be the reason for his colossal success.

[edit] Discography

Chamkila’s recordings on the HMV music label have been recompiled for release on CD by Saregama. The following albums are available:

• Jija Lak Minle

• Hikk Utte So Ja Ve

• Lak Mera Kach Warga

• Mitra Main Khand Ban Gai

• Sharbut Vangoo Ghut Bhar Laan

• Bhul Gai Main Ghund Kadna

• Yaad Aave War War (This album containing seven unreleased songs, was released just after his death)

• Baba Tera Nankana (religious)

• Naam Jap Le (religious)

• Talwar Main Kalgidhar Di Haan (religious) Chamkila and Amarjot sang only the title song on this album

[edit] Trivia

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (February 2009)

• Chamkila’s daughter from his marriage released an album in 2003 called Kurti Sat Rang Di under the name Kamaljot Chamkila. The album contains eight tracks, one written by her father. She cited listening to her father’s work as an inspiration for releasing the album.
• His second daughter, Kamal Chamkila, has released an album called Return of Chamkila. This album, and in particular the song Pehle Lalkaare Naal (Written by Chamkila) won Kamal Chamkila the award for "Best Female Folk Artist" at the 2008 ETC Punjabi Music Awards.
• Panjabi MC's Khada Soorma used Chamkila's vocals off a live performance and was put on the Shaanti Presents...Mighty Asian Beats album. Part 1 of this song was also released on PMC's 2008 album Indian Timing.
• Although Chamkila wrote all his own songs (excluding religious ones), he sang Chaklo Drivero Purje Nu written by close friend Pali Detwalia and Kar Yaad Kurre by Gill Surjit.
• An aspiring electrician, Chamkila penned a song called Laggi Light Jagoan about a woman who calls an electrician after being shocked by a faulty light switch.
• Chamkila's music producer, Charanjit Ahuja, has become a legend in the Punjabi music industry. He has worked with singers such as Gurdas Maan, Mohammed Sadiq and introduced Hans Raj Hans, Harbhajan Mann, Pammi Bai & Sardool Sikander and many more.
• Chamkila was reportedly a great fan of Punjabi folk singer Rangila Jat. He is said to have taken his name from a lyric in one of Jat’s songs.
• Chamkila wrote many songs but was not credited for some. This was before he became a household name. An album of some of his written songs was released entitled Ah Kalam Chamkile Di.
• At the time of death, Chamkila had plans for at least two albums.
• Chamkila reportedly refrained from alcohol and drug use while performing. He also encouraged those in attendance to sit and listen to his lyrics instead of dancing. He would sing boliyan (couplets) at the conclusion of his shows and encouraged people to dance.
• According to the record label SaReGaMa HMV, to this day, Chamkila album sales (in CD/tape format) in Punjab are still immensely high.
• Dippa Dosanjh sang two songs written by Chamkila in the album Death Jamm 2. These songs were Jatt Di Dushmani and Akhiyan Di Maar Buri
• Chamkila continues to be referenced in songs by lyricists and artists he influenced. These songs include "Laal Pari" (Bhupinder Gill & Miss Neelam), "Driveran Da" (Nachhattar Gill), "Glassy" (Jazzy B) and "Desh Punjab Di" (Money Spinner feat. Nirmal Sidhu)
• Chamkila was known to be very comical in his live performances. He would often make jokes and perform skit to entertain the crowds.
• Chamkila most noted performance at the renowned Professor Mohan Singh Mela in 1987 was to be his last. He sang Baba Tera Nankana and Dhee Mar Jai Badkar Loko. Mohammed Sadiq praised Chamkila's performance at this event and stated that Chamkila sang the best songs of the night.
• His harmonium player, Gill Surjit, was also a well known lyricist. Gill Surjit wrote the hit song Bhabhi Meri Ghut Karde, which was sung by Sardool Sikander's wife Amar Noorie.
• Chamkila did try to sing more serious songs and made a good effort with songs such as Dhoka Nahin Kamai Da. He would often say on stage that he wishes fans would listen to more meaningful songs.
• When Chamkila first sang religious songs, it is said that the crowds would walk off in protest as they did not want to listen to religious songs from Chamkila. Although, after he sang Talwar Main Kalgidhar Di Haan his religious bookings soared.
• Fans of Chamkila include Babbu Maan, Mohammed Sadiq, Gill Hardeep, Panjabi MC, Amrita Virk, Juggy D, Dippa Dosanjh and Jazzy B.

[edit] References

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