![Django Haskins August 2019](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Django_Haskins_August_2019.jpg)
Djángo Haskins (born November 19, 1973) is a North American singer-songwriter. He is named after jazz musician
Django Reinhardt
Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953), known by his Romani nickname Django ( or ), was a Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe and has been hailed as one of its most ...
. Originally from Florida, Haskins now resides in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
where he is the frontman of pop-noir musical group
The Old Ceremony
The Old Ceremony is a Chapel Hill, North Carolina pop-noir musical group fronted by Django Haskins. Formed in 2004, the group has released five full-length albums, ''Our One Mistake'', on sonaBLAST! Records; ''The Old Ceremony'', ''Walk On Thi ...
. Though primarily identified as a guitarist and vocalist, Haskins also plays piano and violin.
Early life and musical beginnings
Haskins was born in
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the county seat of Alachua County, Florida, Alachua County, Florida, and the largest city in North Central Florida, with a population of 141,085 in 2020. It is the principal city of the Gainesville metropolitan area, Florida, Gaine ...
. His family's love for music exposed him to the likes of
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film.
Born to ...
,
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
,
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
,
Motown
Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
,
Gershwin,
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk (, October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including " 'Round Midnight", "B ...
,
The Replacements and
Elvis Costello
Declan Patrick MacManus Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in ...
, familiarising him with pop music and its many forms. Haskins himself was involved in many middle/high school bands including The Music Butchers, Bloody Awful and The Robot Bunnies from Hell.
He moved north to study literature at
Yale
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...
before relocating to
Hangzhou
Hangzhou ( or , ; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), also romanized as Hangchow, is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang, China. It is located in the northwestern part of the province, sitting at the head of Hangzhou Bay, whi ...
, 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".
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 successful solo shows in various downtown New York institutions.
He formed a band which went on to develop into
The Regulars, with bassist and Texas enthusiast
Byron Isaacs, and drummer
Neil Nunziato, with whom he recorded his second album,
Django and The Regulars' ''
Laying Low and Inbetween''. It achieved substantial critical acclaim and radio play, resulting in its being picked up by NYC indie label
ModMusic Records for national distribution and use in several TV & film projects.
Haskins' third album, ''
Over Easy Smoke Machine'', a mix of his solo work and tracks featuring the Regulars, was recorded in NYC and his adopted hometown of
Chapel Hill, NC
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, Orange, Durham County, North Carolina, Durham and Chatham County, North Carolina, Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Its population was 61,960 in the 2020 United States Ce ...
, and released in 2003.
Haskins composed the theme music for
The State of Things on
North Carolina Public Radio
WUNC (91.5 MHz) is a listener-supported public radio station, serving the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. It is licensed to Chapel Hill and is operated by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. On weekdays, WUNC carries Nat ...
. He currently plays with his
pop-noir band,
The Old Ceremony
The Old Ceremony is a Chapel Hill, North Carolina pop-noir musical group fronted by Django Haskins. Formed in 2004, the group has released five full-length albums, ''Our One Mistake'', on sonaBLAST! Records; ''The Old Ceremony'', ''Walk On Thi ...
, as well as continuing his successful solo shows.
In 2013, Haskins figured prominently in the formation of the progressive musical organization the NC Music Love Army, an activist group of artists co-founded by solo artist and producer
Jon Lindsay
Jon Stephen Lindsay (born 4 December 1935)
is a Republican former member of the Texas Senate, having represented the 7th District from 1997 to 2007.
He was succeeded in 2007 by fellow Republican Dan Patrick, who would later be elected as Lieut ...
and
Caitlin Cary
Caitlin Cary (born October 28, 1968) is an alternative country musician and visual artist from Seville, Ohio.
Early life
Caitlin Cary is the youngest of seven siblings (all older brothers). Her entire family was involved in music to some degre ...
, of
Whiskeytown
Whiskeytown was an American alternative country band formed in 1994 from Raleigh, North Carolina. Fronted by Ryan Adams, the group included members Caitlin Cary, Phil Wandscher, Eric "Skillet" Gilmore, and Mike Daly. They disbanded in 2000 with ...
.
In 2018, Haskins released ''Shadowlawn'', his first solo effort in fifteen-plus years.
International Orange
In 2003, Haskins formed
International Orange
International orange is a color used in the aerospace industry to set objects apart from their surroundings, similar to safety orange, but deeper and with a more reddish tone.
Variations of international orange
Aerospace
The Advanced Cre ...
alongside
Robert Sledge
Robert Sledge (born March 9, 1968) is an American musician, best known for his work with Ben Folds Five.
Biography
Robert Sledge began playing bass guitar at the age of eleven. His brother was playing guitar at his house so he also learned how ...
(ex-bassist for
Ben Folds Five
Ben Folds Five is an American alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group comprises Ben Folds (lead vocals, piano), Robert Sledge (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Darren Jessee (drums, backing vocals). The gro ...
), Britt "
Snuzz" Uzzell (former member of
Bus Stop
A bus stop is a place where buses stop for passengers to get on and off the bus. The construction of bus stops tends to reflect the level of usage, where stops at busy locations may have shelters, seating, and possibly electronic passenger ...
) and drummer
Jason Fagg (under various alternative aliases). The band played over 100 shows across North America, consisting of songs written by each of the 3 song-writing members (Django, Robert and Britt) before and after the formation of the band. The band released one recording, a six track EP – ''
Spoon Box'' – in 2004, which featured 2 Django compositions – ''Folding Stars'' opener "Hand to Mouth" and new song "Alone". The band parted company in early 2005 to pursue separate projects, though Britt and Robert continued to play together with drummer
Eddie Walker
Eddie or Eddy may refer to:
Science and technology
*Eddy (fluid dynamics), the swirling of a fluid and the reverse current created when the fluid flows past an obstacle
*Eddie (text editor), a text editor originally for BeOS and now ported to Linu ...
in NC cover band
Walrus
The walrus (''Odobenus rosmarus'') is a large pinniped, flippered marine mammal with a discontinuous distribution about the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in ...
until later that year. The band parted on good terms and are still in touch and it has been suggested that a CD compiled of their many live recordings may someday be released.
The Old Ceremony
While he was still playing with
International Orange
International orange is a color used in the aerospace industry to set objects apart from their surroundings, similar to safety orange, but deeper and with a more reddish tone.
Variations of international orange
Aerospace
The Advanced Cre ...
, Haskins also founded
pop-noir extravaganza,
The Old Ceremony
The Old Ceremony is a Chapel Hill, North Carolina pop-noir musical group fronted by Django Haskins. Formed in 2004, the group has released five full-length albums, ''Our One Mistake'', on sonaBLAST! Records; ''The Old Ceremony'', ''Walk On Thi ...
. Described as a "mini orchestra", The Old Ceremony has been known to consist of up to 12 members, including singer-songwriter Django on vocals and guitar, pianist James Wallace, drummer Dan Hall, Mark Simonsen on the vibes/organ, bassist Matt Brandau, violinists Gabriele Pelli and
Daniel Hart, and Josh Starmer on cello. Other members have included Jil Christensen on the accordion, Vamsi Tadepalli on sax, Will Caviness on trumpet, and Harmony Keeney on vocals.
The Old Ceremony released their first recording – a self-titled, 12 track album, featuring fan favorites including "American Romeo", "Ole" and "Blood and Oil" – in 2005. In October 2006, released a new album called ''
Our One Mistake''. Songs on this album include "Poison Pen", "Reservations" and "Bao Qian" (a song written almost entirely in Mandarin Chinese). ''Our One Mistake'' was released by NYC indie label
sonaBLAST! Records
sonaBLAST! Records is a Louisville, Kentucky-based independent record label founded by film producer Gill Holland in 2002.
Artist roster
* Andrew T. Hunt
* Bastion
* Beady
* Belushi Speed Ball
* Ben Arthur (musician)
* Ben Sollee
* Broken ...
(headed by
Gill Holland
John Gill Holland, Jr. (born November 7, 1964) is an American film producer and co-developer of The Green Building in Louisville, Kentucky.
Early life and education
Born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Holland was raised in Davidson, North Caro ...
). They have subsequently toured extensively and released four other albums, including two on
Yep Roc Records
Yep Roc Records is an American independent record label based in Hillsborough, North Carolina, and owned by Redeye Distribution. Since 1997, the label has released albums from North Carolina and international artists, including Nick Lowe, Paul We ...
.
Au Pair
In 2013, Django met
The Jayhawks
The Jayhawks are an American alternative country and country rock band that emerged from the Twin Cities music scene in the mid-1980s. Led by vocalists/guitarists/songwriters Gary Louris and Mark Olson (musician), Mark Olson, their country rock ...
'
Gary Louris
Gary Louris (born March 10, 1955) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter of alternative country and pop music. He was a founding member of the Minneapolis-based band the Jayhawks and their principal songwriter and vocalist after the ...
while performing the music of
Big Star
Big Star was an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1971 by Alex Chilton (vocals, guiar), Chris Bell (vocals, guitar), Jody Stephens (drums), and Andy Hummel (bass). The group broke up in early 1975, and reorganized with a new l ...
in Chicago. They hit it off and soon thereafter began co-writing, eventually forming a duo called Au Pair. They released an album, One-Armed Candy Bear, in 2016 on the Nashville label, Thirty Tigers, and played shows in NYC, DC, LA, Chicago, MPLS, Chapel Hill, ATL, and (with
Wilco
Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently dur ...
) WV's
Mountain Stage
''Mountain Stage'' is a two-hour music radio show, first aired in 1983, produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting and distributed worldwide by National Public Radio (NPR). Hosted by Larry Groce from the show's inception until 2021 and current ...
. A second album is reportedly
in the works.
Discography
Solo
*''Folding Stars (album), Folding Stars'' (1998)
*''Over Easy Smoke Machine'' (2003)
*''Shadowlawn'' (2018)
Django and the Regulars
*''Laying Low and Inbetween'' (2001)
International Orange
*''Spoon Box (EP)'' (2004)
The Old Ceremony
*''The Old Ceremony (album), The Old Ceremony'' (2005)
*''Our One Mistake'' (2006)
*''Walk On Thin Air'' (2009)
*''Tender Age'' (2010)
*''Fairy Tales And Other Forms Of Suicide'' (2012)
*''Sprinter'' (2015)
Au Pair
*''One-Armed Candy Bear'' (2016)
Other releases
*''Boy Gone Wrong'' (with Pete Galub and the Annuals)
References
External links
Django HaskinsThe Old Ceremony
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haskins, Django
Living people
1973 births
Writers from Gainesville, Florida
Musicians from Gainesville, Florida
Singer-songwriters from Florida
21st-century American singers
Singer-songwriters from North Carolina