107 Quotes by Trombone Shorty

Actually, I started off playing by ear and being around a bunch of musicians playing in the streets in the different parades.

Everyone who hears our music loves it, but how many people get to hear it?

Hopefully, I can stay around a lot of young musicians and feed off of them.

I need New Orleans. And New Orleans needs me.

We come from New Orleans, so everything is emotional - for, once the music takes over, and we start blowing, we go into a different zone that takes over our whole body.

New Orleans made me who I am.

When you start playing as young as me, and you've been in front of audiences your entire life, this is literally what I grew up doing.

Sometimes it's very hard for other New Orleans musicians to break out. It starts with the musician. They have to be willing to take a risk. Playing in the city, you can get comfortable. You think things are going well, but you're always in the city.

When we're ready to do the dress rehearsal, we'll rehearse in the dark. No lights. The reason why I do that is because I don't want the band to rely on me for anything. 'Cause anything can happen - I might stop singing or unplug the mic, just so everybody knows: Keep going, no matter what.