Timmy Trumpet: The EDM Trailblazer with a Brass Twist
Timmy Trumpet is a musician, DJ, and producer who’s taken the dance music world by storm. Known by his mom as Timothy Smith, this acclaimed artist made his favorite instrument into a moniker. Timmy Trumpet had his musical breakthrough with “Freaks,” a Melbourne-bounce track released alongside New Zealand rapper Savage. The music kept coming, with big room house combined with attention-grabbing horns to great effect. Timmy creates a unique blend of energetic dance music and live jazz trumpet, and his sounds and shows are an absolute smash.
In this article, we’ll look at the man and myth that is Timmy Trumpet. After diving into his history and reviewing someof his best releases, we’ll look at upcoming tour dates for this highly successful artist.
The Early Timmy Trumpet Story
Timothy Jude Smith was born in 1982 in Sydney, Australia. Music has always been an important part of his life, with his father playing the trumpet and teaching Timmy from an early age. He first picked up the instrument at 4 years old, and the rest is history. Timmy played trumpet for most of his childhood while learning to love many other sounds and genres.
Aged 13 at Carlingford High School, Timmy was named Young Musician of the Year. He was granted a full scholarship to the Conservatorium of Music and was tutored by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. This was a major accomplishment for Timmy in the world of classical music. In just two years, he was the solo trumpet lead in the Australian All-Star Stage Band.
During these long years of classical study and performance, Timmy Smith had been developing another musical love. After attending clubs and raves across Sydney, the novel sounds of dance music had caught the young musician’s attention. From energetic main room trance to deep back room house, Timmy had fallen in love with the diverse and exciting world of electronic dance music.
Career Beginnings
Timothy Smith adopted the stage name Timmy Trumpet in the early 2000s, in an effort to bridge his classical training and dance music love. He started his career by performing as a trumpeter onstage, providing live instrumentation for Australian DJs the Stafford Brothers. He played lots of shows at dance clubs and music festivals, cementing his love for this brave new sound.
Along the way, Timmy taught himself how to DJ. He started playing more and more shows, not as the backup musician but as the main man. Timmy’s new stage act was very unique at the time, and to this day, he remains the only DJ/trumpeter playing at this level on the global stage. Daft Punk were a major inspiration to Timmy during this period, when he “realized there might be something to this trumpet/EDM thing.”
The newly named Timmy Trumpet signed contracts with multiple Australian labels, including Onelove, Central Station, and Hussle Recordings. He also produced mix compilations for Ministry of Sound Australia and went on national promotional tours. Timmy’s biggest show to date came in 2011, when he was invited to support Stevie Wonder at The Star Casino opening in Sydney. During this time, he also appeared as himself on the reality TV show The Stafford Brothers, which was broadcast on FOX8.
In the early 2010s, the Timmy Trumpet name was becoming known worldwide. He completed his first international tour in 2014 with DJs Will Sparks and Joel Fletcher, touring North America and making new fans along the way. He started releasing his own music during this period, with multiple singles coming out between 2012 and 2015. Timmy reached No. 1 on the ARIA Club Chart during this time, on a collaboration track called “Sassafras” with Melbourne DJ Chardy.
The Breakthrough Years
As mentioned above, Timmy Trumpet hit the big time with the release of “Freaks.” It was his 12th single release, and it reached brand new heights. “Freaks” achieved international success for Timmy, charting in faraway places like Hungary, Poland, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. The single had over 1 million sales and 500 million streams, giving it gold status with the RIAA and six times platinum status with ARIA.
“Freaks” was a cultural sensation far beyond the dance floor, being featured on multiple TV shows and movies. It opened up many doors for Timmy, who was increasingly asked to collaborate with big names. He worked with DJ Carnage and KSHMR on “Toca,” a huge EDM rework of the Bach piece “Toccata and Fugue in D minor.” Along with “Freak,” this song became a live Timmy Trumpet staple.
Since 2015, Timmy Trumpet has continued to release music and tour around the world. He released three singles on Spinnin’ Records in 2016, including the initially anonymous “Psy or Die” with Carnage. “Party Till We Die” was the follow-up release with MAKJ, and the third single “Oracle” was a massive hit with more than 150 million streams.
Live Shows and Tour Dates
Timmy Trumpet has continued to record and tour, performing at huge parties like Tomorrowland, Electric Love, and Creamfields. In one memorable show, he joined huge names at the BigCityBeats World Club Dome “Zero Gravity 2.0.” This was a very special event on a converted A310 aircraft, which is usually used by astronauts from the European Space Agency. It took off from Frankfurt Airport and entered zero gravity, as passengers experienced six minutes of true weightlessness.
Back on the ground, Timmy has been playing massive shows all over the world. He completed a 60-date world tour in 2019, and his schedule remains just as packed in 2025. Timmy Trumpet is about to perform in his native Australia, at Freakshow in Elwood on February 15 and Thrifty Sydney 500 on February 22. He then travels to the United States, performing at the Hakkasan Nightclub in Las Vegas on February 28 and Time Nightclub in Costa Mesa on March 1.
Timmy next travels to Asia, performing at Creamfields Hong Kong on March 8 before heading to India on a multi-date tour throughout March. He’s back in the United States by late March before heading to Mexico, Thailand, Norway, Germany, Hungary, and beyond. There are simply too many dates to mention for this globetrotting DJ superstar and trumpeter — detailed information and booking details are available on his website.
If you love your dance music loud, energetic, and jazzy, Timmy Trumpet is your man. Add some of his iconic tracks to your next playlist or grab some concert tickets to experience the authentic Timmy Trumpet vibe.
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