Victor Wooten And The Wooten Brothers will return to Australia in February, continuing a remarkable legacy that began in the 1960s. Their 2023 Australian debut was met with packed rooms and broad acclaim, and the upcoming tour promises another rare opportunity to witness one of the world’s tightest musical families performing at full strength.
The four brothers, Regi, Roy “Futureman”, Joseph, and Victor, have ten Grammy Awards between them, with a shared musical language formed long before any of them reached their teenage years. Their dynamic interplay, shaped in clubs across Virginia and sharpened during decades on major stages, remains one of contemporary music’s most enduring family partnerships.
The Wooten story began in Hawaii around 1966, where the brothers first performed as young children during their father’s military posting. Their family moved often, with relocations across Hawaii, California, and Virginia, yet the band remained constant through every transition.
Victor started playing bass at the age of two, taught by his older brother Regi, and became the band’s full-time bassist by age six. Their disciplined approach to performance led to an early country music residency at Busch Gardens and a reputation as prodigious young musicians long before adulthood.
The late Rudy Wooten, their saxophonist brother, added a distinctive voice to their early recordings and live shows. Known for playing two saxophones simultaneously to emulate the multi-horn arrangements of Earth, Wind & Fire or Tower Of Power, Rudy became a defining component of the Wooten sound until his passing in 2010. His spirit now lives on through recently unearthed 1970s and 1980s recordings appearing alongside newly created material.
Each Wooten brother has earned a formidable reputation on his own terms. Victor is a five-time Grammy winner, a founding member of Béla Fleck And The Flecktones, and widely regarded as one of the most influential bassists of the modern era. His solo catalogue, including landmark releases like A Show Of Hands, helped redefine the technical and expressive range of the electric bass.
Roy “Futureman” Wooten is a five-time Grammy winner and a founding member of the Flecktones. His inventions, including the Drumitar and the RoyEl keyboard, introduced new ways of articulating rhythm and harmonic ideas.
Joseph Wooten has been a member of the Steve Miller Band since 1993 and has worked with artists including Whitney Houston and Kenny G. He is also an author, public speaker, and founder of the nonprofit organisation I Matter! You Matter!, which uses music to promote diversity, community support, and educational outreach.
Regi Wooten, the eldest brother, has been a guiding teacher since childhood and is respected for a guitar style that spans rock, funk, and jazz. His influence shaped the musical development of his younger siblings and continues to inform the group’s collective sound.
After decades of pursuing separate paths, the brothers reunited for a major run of performances beginning in late 2023. Their return to the stage marked the first significant Wooten Brothers tour since Rudy’s passing, and audiences were quick to embrace the renewed line-up.
Their 2025 Australian tour arrives with fresh recordings and restored archival material, offering a cross-section of the family’s musical evolution. Each performance moves between deep funk, soulful ballads, explosive jazz improvisation, and roots-driven grooves, delivered with humour and warmth that only decades of shared experience can produce.
Australian Tour Dates
Wed, Feb 4: Harmonie German Club, Canberra
Thurs, Feb 5: Factory Theatre, Marrickville
Fri, Feb 6: Princess Theatre, Brisbane
Sat, Feb 7: The Lounge, Chatswood
Sun, Feb 8: Memo Music Hall, St Kilda
Wed, Feb 11: Freo Social, Fremantle
Fri, Feb 13: The Gov, Adelaide
Sat, Feb 14: Northcote Theatre, Melbourne
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