Troy Andrews, also known by the stage name Trombone Shorty, is an American musician, producer, actor, and philanthropist from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is best known as a trombone and trumpet player but also plays drums, organ, and tuba.
Why do they call him Trombone Shorty?
He grew up jamming in a highly musical family. His grandfather was the R&B singer Jessie Hill. His older brother and mentor, trumpet player James Andrews, was the first person to take him on the road; he was 4 years old. They called him Trombone Shorty because his horn was taller than he was.
He was a shorty when he first played on these streets at age 4 with a trombone larger than he was, and the name stuck.
“If it’s a rock concert, we can do that,” Andrews says backstage, more congenial than cocky. “If it’s a funk concert, we can do that. We’re able to play all different styles. . . . That’s what we do in New Orleans every day. To me, that’s normal.”