Wendell Eugene

Wendell Eugene
Background information
Birth name	Wendell Albert Eugene
Born	(1923-10-12) October 12, 1923 (age 93)
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Jazz Musician
Instruments	Trombone
Associated acts	Olympia Brass Band,Tuxedo Brass Band,Onward Brass Band

Wendell Eugene is an American jazz musician from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a popular trombonist on the New Orleans jazz scene and has recorded with artists such as Lionel Ferbos,Harold Dejan, and Kermit Ruffins. He is the oldest active jazz musician in New Orleans.

Eugene was born to Homer and Apha Eugene on October 12, 1923 and is the youngest of five brothers. He grew up in a family of musicians including his brother Homer Eugene, his cousin Clement Tervalon, and uncle Albert Burbank. His curiosity about music began at the age of 10 when his parents bought him a graphanola. He said he would wind it up and play The Peanut Vendor and Ramona. He received his first trombone at the age of 13 from his brother Homer after mentioning that he wanted to start playing an instrument. As a kid he learned from other New Orleans musicians, but also listened and learned from Big Band Music as well as trombonist J. J. Johnson. While still in high school, he joined the musician's union at 15 and began playing with a variety of New Orleans Jazz Legends. As a teenager, Eugene performed with Avery "Kid" Howard as well as performers and band leaders such as Papa Celestin, George Lewis, Papa French, Willie Humphrey, Don Albert, and Kid Thomas Valentine.

Eugene joined the United States Navy during World War II and was recruited to play with the U.S. Navy Marching and Concert Band while stationed at Port Chicago, California. He played with the band throughout his four-year enlistment and also played with Louis Armstrong during a 1943 USO event. At the time, Armstrong was short a trombonist and asked Eugene to fill in. Eugene was quoted in The Times-Picayune as saying, "I got up there and did the best I could. I'll never forget it."

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