Fred Wesley to announce shock retirement from music?

  • By Smith Alexander
  • Washington
  • Last updated on

James Brown's former trombonist created a stir on Sunday when rumors have surfaced that his career was over.
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Sad news for Wesley fans. Speculation had been rife that James Brown's former trombonist is about to announce his retirement from music, at age 82, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 29/12/2025 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a musician isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a musician just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouFred

For a little while on Sunday evening, #ThankYouFred was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Fred Wesley was unlike any other musician we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouFred”
— @universalObserver, 28 Dec 2025
“Didn't Fred Wesley retire about 3 years ago?”
— @samy2love, 28 Dec 2025

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