Vaughn has been drawn to music ever since he was a kid. He started out with piano lessons, violin lessons, clarinet in school, and discovered his love of guitar as a young teenager. He fell in love with jazz when he reached college, and he’s been on that journey ever since. 

As a guitarist, Vaughn studied with Ben Wendel and Mike Moreno and has led several bands. He recorded his debut album of original songs, titled “Along the Way,” in 2022 with a quartet featuring Ruben Rogers on bass, Eddie Mendenhall on piano, and Darrin Thomas on drums. He recently recorded his newest album titled “Nana Needs New Glasses” with Kevin Person Jr on piano, Sheldon Alexander on drums, and Guilio Cetto on bass, released in January 2026.

You’ll find Vaughn in San Francisco performing regularly at his gig on Wednesdays at a bar called Gestalt in the Mission District and popping up with groups across the city in various jazz bars and events. He’s performed at Lake Heron Boathouse, The Royale, SJ Breakroom, The Mellow SF, and many others. Check out his Instagram to listen to some of his piano compositions, watch his incredible guitar technique, and catch where he’s playing next.