Trombone Shorty

Born Troy Andrews on January 2, 1986, in New Orleans, Louisiana, the jazz trombonist is better known by his stage name Trombone Shorty. Raised in the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans where the sweet sound of jazz fills the air, brass sections rehearse in front yards and marching bands go wandering up and down the streets, the impressionable budding musician couldn't help but embody the vibrant spirit and joyous music of his hometown. The grandson of R&B singer Jessie Hill, he first picked up the trombone at the age of four and learned from his bandleader brother James Andrews before leading his own groups and releasing his debut album, Trombone Shorty's Swinging Gate (2002), at the age of 16. Taught by local musicians such as Tuba Fats, while also studying at New Orleans Center for Performing Arts, he toured with Lenny Kravitz and Aerosmith before Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005 and wiped out his home. Trombone Shorty was involved in many charitable projects in aid of the area, setting up the Horns for Schools and Shorty Foundation as a response. He also appeared in the HBO drama series Treme, but it was his 2010 album Backatown that helped his breakthrough to a wider audience. Featuring Kravitz, Allen Toussaint and Marc Broussard, it mixed a gumbo of New Orleans jazz with 1970s soul and R&B grooves and was nominated for a Grammy Award, as his reputation spread to new audiences. Jeff Beck, Kid Rock, and Cyril Neville all played on the follow-up album For True (2011). Trombone Shorty went on to work as a sideman for Eric Clapton, Foo Fighters and Cee Lo Green, opened for Red Hot Chili Peppers and performed at the Grammy Awards and the White House for President Obama. His 2013 album Say That to Say This was co-produced by R&B musician and producer Ralph Saadiq, formerly a member of Tony! Toni! Toné! Signing a deal with iconic label Blue Note Records, Trombone Shorty released the Parking Lot Symphony album in 2017. After five years spent working on various projects including albums by Bettye LaVette and Ringo Starr, he returned in 2022 with the album Lifted.