Trombone Shorty is a tall force on the global musical landscape, from his powerhouse performances to his wide-ranging collaborations to his leadership as an educator and a philanthropist. Born Troy Andrews, the horn player earned his nickname when he played his first gig at the ripe old age of four and six when he was invited to sit in with Bo Diddley at Jazzfest.

Shorty is a member of a storied musical family: his grandfather Jessie Hill penned the New Orleans classic “Ooh Poo Pah Doo,” his great uncle Walter “Papoose” Nelson played with Fats Domino, and brother James and cousins Glen David Andrews, Glenn Hall, and the late Travis “Trumpet Black” Hill are all well-known musicians in their own right.  Raised in the colorful and creative Treme neighborhood, Andrews’ early musical sensibilities were deeply imbued in the New Orleans traditions of jazz, R&B, second lines, and more contemporary funk and hip hop.

Shorty made the leap to the big time as a teen when he joined up with Lenny Kravitz, and became a popular act at festivals and major sports events. In 2010 he blew the lid off the music scene with his hit album “Backatown,” which stayed at the top of Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart for nine weeks, and was followed by a handful of equally successful albums, including the superior “For True” in 2011 and the 2022 “Lifted.”

With a trombone in one hand and a trumpet in the other, Shorty wows crowds across the planet at the most prestigious and popular festivals, and has recorded or performed with a Who’s Who of contemporary pop music:  Lenny Kravitz, Jeff Beck, Green Day, Allen Toussaint, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Madonna, Queen Latifah, and the Foo Fighters, to name a few, and has made numerous television and film appearances.

In addition to his work on stage, the musician is an active and avid supporter of music education, establishing the Trombone Shorty Foundation and developing a partnership with Tulane University, providing mentorship, music training, and business education for young musicians.

Shorty has garnered a slew of accolades, including a 2022 Grammy for his performance on Jon Batiste’s “We Are.” His children’s autobiography was named a Caldecott Honor Book in 2016.

Meanwhile in New Orleans, Shorty now leads his own Mardi Gras parade atop a giant float crafted in his likeness, hosts the annual Voodoo Threauxdown shows that have drawn guests including Usher, Nick Jonas, Dierks Bentley, Andra Day, and Leon Bridges to sit in with his band, and has taken over the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival’s hallowed final set.