Trombonist William Wright (b. 1997) is a professional musician, educator, and lifelong Austin, TX native. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Orchestral Trombone Performance from The University of Texas at Austin in 2022 and has been performing professionally since 2011.
Over the past decade, William has played more than 900 shows across the United States and Central America—including in Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Panama—and has recorded on over 30 albums. His early passion for jazz and funk led him to form two of Austin’s standout brass groups while in college: Big Wy’s Brass Band and The Capitol.
Big Wy’s Brass Band has enjoyed international recognition, performing at the IGA International Jazz Festival in Guatemala and touring Costa Rica in both 2017 and 2019 as part of the CCCN Promising Artists of the 21st Century program. During these tours, William led educational jazz workshops and concerts throughout both countries. In 2021, music from his band The Capitol was featured on the hit Netflix series Queer Eye.
In 2022, William performed and recorded with country-rock powerhouse Whiskey Myers on their critically acclaimed album Tornillo. The album debuted at No. 1 on both the Country and Americana/Folk sales charts, No. 2 on the Rock chart, and No. 6 on the Billboard 200 (No. 3 among new releases). Whiskey Myers also sold out their debut headlining show at Red Rocks Amphitheater that year. While William does not regularly tour with the group, his work on Tornillois a proud milestone in his recording career.
Currently, William performs regularly with several Austin-based bands, including Big Wy’s Brass Band, The Capitol, Flyjack, Vincent Antone, A-Town GetDown, Night Cap, and Graffiti Phunk. His versatile performance schedule keeps him active in a range of genres including jazz, funk, R&B, soul, and rock. He frequently appears at some of Austin’s most iconic venues and events, such as The Continental Club, Antone’s Nightclub, C-Boy’s Heart & Soul, Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater, Waterloo Park’s Moody Amphitheater, Austin City Limits Music Festival, Blues on the Green, SXSW, Trail of Lights, and the Austin Music Awards.
As an educator, William is passionate about helping students become independent, confident musicians. He believes that mastering a wind instrument is a uniquely challenging journey, and he tailors each lesson to the individual needs of the student—balancing strong fundamentals with musical understanding. His ultimate goal is to equip students with the tools to build efficient, productive, and self-driven practice routines.
Outside of performing and teaching, William is the founder of Jam Panic, a professional development organization that helps musicians navigate the business side of their careers. He also continues his family’s tradition of photography by capturing live music performances on stage.
