My mind was blown, and I knew that I’d found my home.

Musical Inspiration: At 7:45 am at the Maple Leaf on the first day of my first visit to New Orleans, I saw Walter “Wolfman” Washington start his final set as the sun was rising. A graduate of Princeton University, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, and an honorary member of the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame, Bill’s passion for New Orleans and its music is a lifetime pursuit. He has a long history of involvement in the New Orleans music community, from the Tipitina’s Foundation to producing the Fats Domino tribute recording “Goin’ Home” to co-authoring the Caldecott-winning Trombone Shorty kids book. Click HERE to learn more about our programs.īill Taylor has served as the Trombone Shorty Foundation’s Executive Director since its inception in 2011, overseeing all aspects of the organization. Our goal is to nurture their talent in a way that opens up the possibilities, and also provide a platform for advancement. We offer students both a road map and focus to allow them to pursue their passion. Although many kids in New Orleans play an instrument, it’s a select few like Troy “Trombone Shorty” who have the opportunity to pursue music as a career on a national stage. New Orleans musicians understand the importance of teaching the younger ones this heritage, allowing them to carry on the city’s vibrant musical culture that continues to make our city such an exceptional place.Īt the Trombone Shorty Foundation, we proudly contribute to this time-honored tradition of passing it on. Through the years these traditions have been handed down from one generation to the next. Louis Armstrong said it best: “What we play is life.” America’s original musical art form-jazz-originated here, and over time so did many other styles-rhythm and blues, funk, and rock and roll. It’s celebrated as an essential part of life-past, present and future. In New Orleans, music is everywhere: the clubs, the churches, the streets, the schools, and in the air.

Troy trombone shorty andrews