About Django Haskins

Django Haskins has been teaching guitar, voice, bass, ukulele, and songwriting for 30 years, including 15 years on the faculty of the National Guitar Workshop in CT. He works with students of all levels to unlock their creativity and to gain a deeper understanding of music. He is especially good at “unsticking” people who may have played or sung before but have plateaued. He won the Reader’s Poll award for “Best Music Lessons” in the INDY Week in 2022 (and was a finalist in 2017) and was awarded a songwriting grant from the NC Arts Council for his contribution to the state’s arts scene.

Django is also a working songwriter/performer, leading The Old Ceremony since 2004, and forming half of the duo Au Pair with The Jayhawks’ Gary Louris. He has toured the US, Canada, and Europe extensively and released thirteen albums of original music to date. His compositions have been featured in major and indie films, TV shows, and even an NPR theme (“The State of Things”).

Django grew up in Gainesville, FL (of Tom Petty fame) and began performing at age six, forming his first band at thirteen. As an English major at Yale, Django honed his love for language and writing while performing in a rock band and an a cappella group and learning to dress in layers. He studied voice in NYC under Dr. Raymond Smolover, whose Vocal Behavioral Training techniques still help Django and his vocal students to expand and develop their voices.