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‘Trombone Shorty,’ 4 others receive $250,000 Heinz Awards

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FILE - In this Oct. 14, 2015, file photo, musician Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, right, of New Orleans mentors middle school children from the Washington area during a student workshop in the Red Room of the White House in Washington. The Heinz Family Foundation announced winners of the Heinz Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016, naming musician Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews and others as winners. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

PITTSBURGH – Musician “Trombone Shorty,” known for his work to preserve the musical heritage of New Orleans, is one of five people being honoured Wednesday with $250,000 prizes from the Heinz Family Foundation.

The Heinz Awards recognize innovative work in the arts, environment, human condition, public policy and economics categories.

Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews started a foundation to provide New Orleans schools will musical instruments and a self-named music academy, where he created a music performance curriculum. He’s also worked with Tulane University to provide musical training to talented high school musicians.

Other winners include Michelle Alexander, a civil rights attorney from Columbus, Ohio, who wrote the book, “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.”

The foundation was started by Teresa Heinz to honour her late husband, U.S. Sen. John Heinz.

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