4 Rock Musicians Who Played the Trumpet

When speaking about rock musicians, you might imagine rebellious men screaming their souls out into the microphone, or headbanging with guitars, or beating out the mad rhythm sitting behind the drum kit. However, among these famous extraordinary personalities, you can come across those, who found their passion in playing brass instruments as well. In this article, we will reveal four rock musicians, who play the trumpet.  

1. Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

An American musician, the founder, and bassist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, Flea, was interested in the trumpet from his early years. His stepfather played the trumpet in a bebop jazz band and often jammed with other musicians at his home in Flea’s presence. It would be strange if this instrument hadn’t sparked interest in young Flea. Moreover, the interest was so intense that Flea started listening to famous jazz musicians Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong, as well as playing a trumpet in school bands. He became a big fan of jazz, showing no interest in rock music at that time. 

Flea played the trumpet on Jane's Addiction's album “Nothing's Shocking”, released in 1988.  When the band Red Hot Chili Peppers took a break, Flea devoted himself to studying jazz trumpet at the University of Southern California to get a better understanding of the music theory and composition, which he lacked in his early years.  

An interesting fact: Flea uses our Trumpet Single Gig Bag in a brown color, made of Crazy Horse Leather.

2. Paul McCartney (The Beatles)

Although Paul McCartney is mostly known as a bassist, guitarist, and vocalist for the world-renowned rock-band The Beatles, he played many instruments throughout his career, including the trumpet. McCartney got a nickel-plated trumpet from his father as a gift for his 14th birthday. McCartney was immersed in mastering this instrument with a great enthusiasm, learning to play “The Saints”, C scale, and many other useful things. However, Paul wanted to sing while playing, and it was tricky for him to sing with the trumpet in his mouth, so soon he traded his trumpet for an acoustic guitar.

In June 1967, the Beatles were featured on the first global TV broadcast with the song “All You Need Is Love”. During a break in the rehearsals, Paul McCartney played the trumpet, which belonged to an orchestra member. The evidence of it was documented in a picture taken by British photographer David Magnus.

3. Tom Waits

An American musician, composer, and songwriter, Thomas Waits is known for his experimental approach, blending a variety of styles, including jazz, pop, and avant-garde rock music. He extensively used the trumpet in his music to bring the unique, jazz-influenced vibes to the compositions. Although, he mostly collaborated with other trumpet players for his recordings, he appeared playing the trumpet in a crowd scene in the musical romantic drama film “One from the Heart”, released in 1982, for which he had written soundtracks.

4. Robert Wyatt (Soft Machine)

The retired English musician Robert Wyatt is known as a founding member of the rock band Soft Machine from Canterbury. There, he was initially a drummer and singer, sharing his vocals with the vocalist and bassist Kevin Ayers. However, after a tragic accident in 1973, when he fell from a window and damaged his spine, he couldn’t drum in the band anymore, so he started exploring other instruments, including the trumpet. In 2006, Wyatt collaborated with Steve Nieve and Muriel Teodori on the opera “Welcome to the Voice”, where he sang and played a pocket trumpet. He also released many solo albums, where he played the trumpet, such as “Cuckooland”, “Comicopera” and others.

Conclusion  

We hope this article helped you look at the world of rock stars from a different angle and learn something new. Don’t miss our latest articles about famous jazz musicians such as Dennis Brain, Ron Carter, Buddy Rich and others.

If you’re a trumpeter, check out our trumpet accessories to improve the visual look and sound characteristics of your instrument.