Called the swing era's first trumpet soloist, Roy's playing was influenced by the saxophone playing of Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter. In 1941 he broke racist social rules in the United States and played with the Gene Krupa band. Reacting to Dizzy Gillespie's tongue, Eldridge is one of the few musicians not looking at Art Kane's camera.
In the 50s he played with Benny Carter, Johnny Hodges, Ella Fitzgerald and Hawkins.