Amchok Gompo Dhondup was born in a nomadic family in Amdo, Tibet. He didn’t have the opportunity to go to school when he was young, but he taught himself how to play the damnyen (a six-stringed lute) while he was herding yaks in the mountains. He also learned many songs from the elders in his village.

When he was 14 years old, he ran away to study Tibetan folk music. He studied from many legendary Tibetan folk musicians in Amdo Machu. After he completed his music studies he participated in m...