Fred Wesley to announce shock retirement from music?

  • By Smith Alexander
  • Washington
  • Last updated on

James Brown's former trombonist created a stir on Saturday 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 28/06/2026 : 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 Saturday 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, 27 Jun 2026
“Didn't Fred Wesley retire about 3 years ago?”
— @samy2love, 27 Jun 2026

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