With the Super Bowl coming to the SuperDome this year, the NFL is also bringing in some New Orleans flare.
Since the city has such a rich music history, the league has decided to spotlight some of New Orleans’ best before the big game. That includes Trombone Shorty, a famous musician whose mastery of the trombone is second to none.
Trombone Shorty is tasked with performing “America the Beautiful” on Super Bowl Sunday, as he is one of several artists who will have a moment to shine ahead of the game.
Here’s everything there is to know about Trombone Shorty.
MORE SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW NEWS:
- Kendrick Lamar set list predictions
- Kendrick Lamar halftime show guest rumors
- How rappers transformed the halftime show
- Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake beef, explained
- How much money do halftime show performers make?
Who is Trombone Shorty?
Trombone Shorty was born on Jan. 2, 1986, with a given name of Troy Andrews. He is a New Orleans native who began playing music at a young age largely due to the influence of jazz music in his family. He began playing trombone at the age of four, and he quickly mastered the instrument.
While Trombone Shorty has led his share of bands, he has made even more of an influence collaborating with other artists. Among those who Trombone Shorty has played with includes Eric Clapton, Lenny Kravitz, the Zac Brown Band, Ringo Starr and Cee Lo Green. Most notably, Trombone Shorty frequently works with Jazz artist and fellow Louisisna native Jon Batiste, who will be performing the national anthem at the Super Bowl.
As a solo act, Trombone Shorty both sings and plays trombone to showcase his versatile musical skills. As a sideman, he has become one of the premier trombone acts for other musicians looking for Jazz collaborations.
Trombone Shorty has been nominated for a Grammy four times: Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year in 2011, Album of the Year in 2022, and Regional Roots Album of the Year in 2024 and 2025. So far, his only Grammy win came for his work on Batiste’s album We Are, which won Album of the Year in 2022.
Overall, Trombone Shorty has released 12 solo albums along with three albums in conjunction with other artists. Those don’t include his dozens of appearances on other artists’ albums.
Trombone Shorty songs
Trombone Shorty has many songs that have become popular among his fans and fans of all music. One of those songs is “Where Y’At” off of his 2010 album “Backatown.”
His most famous performances may have come in collaborations. For example, Trombone Shorty helped collaborate with U2 and Green Day for “The Saints Are Coming,” a cover of the original song by Skids that was released following Hurricane Katrina.
Trombone Shorty and Jon Batiste have a strong working relationship, which includes a feature on Batiste’s song “Boy Hood,” a song on the Grammy-winning album “We Are.”
As Louisiana natives, Trombone Shorty and Batiste typically perform at the New Orleans Jazz Fest every year. In 2023, the two joined Mumford and Sons on stage for a cover of “House of the Rising Sun.”
That’s just a small part of Trombone Shorty’s influence in the music industry, which spans different genres and artists. It is no surprise that the New Orleans legend will be a part of Super Bowl weekend at the SuperDome.