The Wooten Brothers

Few family bands have reshaped American music quite like The Wooten Brothers. Born to Dorothy and Elijah Wooten, five brothers — Regi, Roy, Rudy, Joseph, and Victor — grew up in a United States Air Force family that moved often before settling in Newport News, Virginia, in 1972. By age six, Victor was already performing with his siblings, and by age 11 Joseph had joined the family band. While still in high school at Denbigh High, the brothers played the country music venue at Busch Gardens theme park in Williamsburg, Virginia, sharpening their craft night after night.

Their individual trajectories turned extraordinary. Victor, the youngest, was named one of Rolling Stone’s Top 10 Bassists of All Time, founding Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and collaborating with Chick Corea, Dave Matthews Band, Keb’ Mo’, and Cory Wong across more than four decades. Roy, known as Roy “Futureman” Wooten, and Joseph carried the family sound forward as Grammy-winning artists and educators, with Victor mentoring thousands of students at his Center for Music and Nature since 2000.

Now, for the first time in many years, the brothers have reassembled. A reunion tour launched on September 28th in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and their album “Sweat,” released in early 2024, marks their first full-length record since the 1980s. Their funk and soul-driven live show continues to draw audiences across the country, including an appearance at the SHU Community Theatre in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Beyond the stage, The Wooten Brothers speak widely on mentorship, creativity, and identity — arguing that becoming a better musician and becoming a better person are the same journey. Their influence runs through generations of players who learned that groove, at its heart, is about human connection.