Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews cuts a tall figure across the world-wide music scene as a performer, creator, philanthropist, author, and next generation of one of New Orleans’ most well-known musical families. The Grammy-winning Andrews brings the horn section front and center in his energetic shows, highlighting the funk, soul, hip hop, and blues rhythms of the city while showcasing his immense talents and charisma. The popular festival and arena headliner has recorded several top-charting albums, including For True, the Grammy-nominated Backatown, and the recent Lifted, and partners with musicians ranging from Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters to Bruno Mars, Jeff Beck, Zac Brown, and New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts classmate Jon Batiste, with whom Shorty won a Grammy for his work on Batiste’s blockbuster We Are. He even has his own Muppet.
Born in 1986, Troy Andrews was raised in New Orleans’ historic Treme neighborhood amidst a very musical family. His grandfather, R&B pioneer Jesse Hill, is known for his enduring hit, “Ooh-Poo-Pah-Doo,” great-uncle Walter "Papoose" Nelson played with Fats Domino, and both parents were involved in social aid and pleasure clubs, jazz funerals and second-line parades. (Andrews' mom, Lois Nelson Andrews, was a mentor to many young musicians and was known as the “Queen of the Treme,” and Troy credits her for his musical inspiration.) Cousins include Glen David Andrews, Glenn Hall (Rebirth Brass Band), and the late Travis “Trumpet Black” Hill. Older brother and trumpeter James (“Twelve”) Andrews III got young Troy on the trombone when he was just four years old, and that spring Bo Diddley invited the diminutive youth on stage at the Jazz and Heritage Festival, effectively launching his career. By the age of six Shorty was leading his own group, and he cemented his reputation throughout his teens by playing with local brass bands and, after graduating from high school, touring as a member of Lenny Kravitz’s band.
As Shorty’s star has risen, he has become a staple headliner at festivals around the world, including Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Newport, and was granted the prestigious main stage closing spot at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival after the Neville Brothers retired. He’s been on all the talk shows and featured in publications like The New York Times and Vanity Fair, has performed several times at the Grammy Awards and at the White House, has appeared on HBO’s Treme and other TV shows, and, at a gala benefit for the PBS show Sesame Street, was honored with a Muppet in his image.
Shorty takes his role as a mentor seriously; his Trombone Shorty Foundation supports several successful youth music education initiatives. He also leads the Krewe of Freret’s Mardi Gras parade with a float bearing his likeness, and hosts the popular ShortyFest music blowout. In addition to the Grammy nods, Shorty has a shelfload of awards that reflect his multiple talents: the President’s Medal from Tulane University for his Horns for Schools program, a Heinz Award (a $250,000 national honor) for both his work as a musician and as a community force, a Blues Music award for his horn playing, and a Caldecott Honor for his children’s autobiography, illustrated by Bryan Collier.
