IAM Member of the Board
Awtar Singh is a Sikh Blues musician and teacher of Kundalini Yoga for over forty years. Awtar brings an authentic relationship to the blues borne out of his childhood in the American South and the richness of his life’s experiences. His career spans an arc from the cotton fields, schools, and churches of Arkansas to tours of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, Ethiopia, Jamaica, and the sacred shrines of India. His powerful voice, poetic wisdom, and masterful songwriting converge as a force of upliftment unprecedented in World Music.
At the heart of Awtar Singh’s creativity is a humble spiritual devotion. A veteran of the Vietnam era, he forged his commitment to nonviolence on the battlefield, moving on to serve as a community organizer on the front lines of the civil rights movement. Meeting his spiritual teacher, the Siri Singh Sahib Yogi Bhajan, cemented his commitment to living a life devoted to freedom. Awtar Singh had the rare privilege of being taught privately by Yogi Bhajan, inspiring him to devote his life to sharing the tools of Kundalini Yoga and meditation with the world -particularly those often forgotten- such as people affected by addiction, homelessness, as well as those with special needs.
Awtar Singh’s music carries a universal appeal. He has headlined a wide range of events, from concerts in churches and colleges to performances for civil rights groups and corporations. For many years he was a featured performer at 3HO’s Peace Prayer Day, at the personal behest of his spiritual teacher Yogi Bhajan.
Life is a freedom of choice which most people can’t see
For they must get past their programming
In order to let themselves be.
But when you open up your heart
Then you will see
Nothing is separate