Trombone Shorty Captures New Orleans And National Honors

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Trombone Shorty's star continues to rise as he is honored with more local and national awards. The just-turned 25-year-old New Orleans singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist and all-around musical powerhouse was awarded five Best of the Beat Awards from New Orleans' OffBeat magazine. And Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews was named among NBC News' The Grio's 100: History Makers in the Making, a list of the top 100 African-American men and women who are writing the next chapter of American history.

At the Best of the Beat ceremony January 28 celebrating OffBeat's nominees, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue received the most awards of the night, winning Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Backatown, Best R&B/Funk Artist, Best R&B/Funk Album for Backatown, and Best Trombonist. "On Backatown, Trombone Shorty has created an album that brings the New Orleans brass band and funk traditions up to date, " says Alex Rawls, editor of OffBeat. "His roots are clearly in the Crescent City, but he has the chops, charisma and stage savvy to take his music to a much larger audience."

Backatown, the band's major label debut, immediately hit #1 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart, staying there for nine weeks and now, more than nine months later, is still in the Top 5. Backatown is also nominated for this year's GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Jazz Album.

This makes three times since 2007 that OffBeat has awarded Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue Best R&B/Funk Band, while Trombone Shorty himself has picked up three awards for Performer/ Artist of the Year and two awards for Best Trumpeter. The Best of the Beat Award nominees are selected by the magazine's editors and writers, and the public votes to choose the winners. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue were on hand to receive their awards in person at the celebration in New Orleans. The next morning Trombone Shorty headed to Jamaica to join Gov't Mule's Island Exodus II in Negril, where he collaborated as a special featured guest with Gov't Mule as well as on Warren Haynes' solo performance.

In honor of Black History Month, theGrio.com, a division of NBC News, has announced its TheGrio's 100: History Makers in the Making, which this year includes Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews. The list is nominated by a team of experts, affiliates, and contributors from across the country, and members of TheGrio.com and NBC News editorial teams. The Grio's 100 shines a spotlight on African-American history makers and industry leaders from 10 fields, including business, education, sports, science and the environment, media, service and activism, politics, health, pop culture and the arts. Trombone Shorty joins First Lady Michelle Obama, singer and education advocate Jill Scott, actress Viola Davis, Olympic Gold Medalist Cullen Jones and NBA star Kevin Durant, among others.
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue's Backatown tour continues this spring and summer beginning February 2 in Chicago with more dates across the European continent, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and all over Canada and the U.S.

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