Django Haskins

Djángo Haskins (born November 19, 1973) is a North American singer-songwriter. He is named after legendary jazz musician Django Reinhardt. Originally from Florida, Django Haskins, now resides in the state of North Carolina where he is currently the frontman of pop-noir musical group The Old Ceremony. Though primarily identified as a guitarist and vocalist, Django also plays piano and violin.

Early life and musical beginnings

Django was born in Gainesville, Florida. His family's love for music exposed him to the likes of Cole Porter, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Motown, Gershwin, Thelonious Monk, The Replacements and Elvis Costello, familiarising him with pop music and its many forms. Django himself was involved in many middle/high school bands including The Music Butchers, Bloody Awful and The Robot Bunnies from Hell.

Django moved north to study literature at Yale before relocating to Hangzhou, China, where he taught English and continued his musical adventure, playing songs he had written to audiences at the local pub who often could not understand a word of what he was playing, gaining him a larger insight to the finer points of song writing. "It takes away all opportunities for in-references, clever lyrics, etc." Django recalls, "and boils it down to melody, rhythm, feel, and sound".

Django's solo career

In 1996, Django returned to America, setting up base in New York City, releasing his first album, Folding Stars, in 1998, and performing in a number of...
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