Photo by Kim Welsh.

Trombone Shorty Honored with Heinz Award

Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews was named a recipient of a Heinz Award in the Arts & Humanities category by the Heinz Family Foundation on Wednesday, September 14. The accolade includes a $250,000 unrestricted cash award.

Trombone Shorty has gained national acclaim in recent years, doing everything from performing at the White House to capturing a voice acting role in last year’s Peanuts movie. He was also the first artist profiled in OffBeat’s “New Icons” series.

While he’s achieved great success as a performer and musician, the Heinz Award “recognizes extraordinary individuals for their creativity and determination in finding solutions to critical issues both here and abroad.” According to the foundation, he recieved the award for his work protecting and passing on New Orleans’ musical heritage to future generations.