Few artists embody the heart and soul of
their city like Trombone Shorty. Perhaps the most recognizable ambassador for
New Orleans music working today, Shorty has spent his entire life not only
carrying the torch for Crescent City culture, but also propelling it forward
into the 21st century with his ecstatic live performances and
intoxicating blend of rock, funk, soul, jazz, blues, hip-hop, and Caribbean
influences.
Born Troy Andrews, Shorty made his first
appearance at New Orleans’ iconic Jazz Fest at the age of four, when he took
the stage for an impromptu performance with Bo Diddley. By six, he was heading
up his own brass band, and by his early twenties, he’d released the first in a
string of critically acclaimed, chart-topping albums that would lead to
performances everywhere from the White House and the Grammy Awards to Madison
Square Garden and the 2025 Super Bowl. Along the way, Shorty would tour with
artists as diverse as Jeff Beck and the Red Hot Chili Peppers; play Coachella,
Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, the Roots Picnic, and countless other festivals;
perform alongside Juvenile on his instantly legendary NPR Tiny Desk
Concert; earn his first Grammy Award; appear on The Tonight Show, The
Late Show, Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Good Morning America,
Today, CNN, HBO’s Treme, and even an episode of The
Simpsons; and collaborate with an eclectic mix of stars including Pharrell,
Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Jon Batiste, Lenny Kravitz, Foo Fighters, ZHU, Zac
Brown, Normani and Ringo Starr.
On top of his relentless touring
schedule, Shorty also managed to launch The Trombone Shorty Foundation in 2011,
which supports youth music education in New Orleans and beyond (each year, he
brings nearly 100 students on a cultural exchange trip to Cuba, where they join
him and a host of special guests for workshops and performances with an
all-star cast of Cuban musicians). Additionally, Shorty’s youth and cultural
advocacy led him to release a pair of children’s books, the first of which
earned the prestigious Caldecott Honor in 2016.
At home in New Orleans, Shorty now leads
a beloved annual Mardi Gras parade atop a giant float crafted in his likeness,
hosts the annual Treme Threauxdown shows (which have drawn guests including
Usher, Nick Jonas, Mavis Staples, Dierks Bentley, Andra Day, and Leon Bridges),
mentors younger artists like New Breed Brass Band (his 2025 collaboration with
the group, Second Line Sunday, earned them both a Grammy nomination), and
has taken over Jazz Fest’s hallowed final set, which has seen him closing out
the internationally renowned gathering after performances by the likes of Neil
Young, the Black Keys, and Kings of Leon.
Shorty brought that same festival energy
to his latest album, 2022’s Lifted, which he recorded live at his own
Buckjump Studio in New Orleans. Raw and exhilarating, the collection bottles
the explosive power of his transcendent stage show, balancing raucous, joyful
anthems with poignant reflections on loss and resilience. Like Shorty himself,
it’s a living, breathing invitation to experience the magic of New Orleans for
yourself, a transportive spiritual experience steeped in family, community, and
tradition, with both eyes fixed firmly on the future.