ABOUT OTEIL

Two-time Grammy winning bassist Oteil Burbridge has been in the music business touring and recording for over three decades. His first step into the national spotlight came in 1991 when he became a founding member of the Aquarium Rescue Unit featuring Col. Bruce Hampton, a cult classic that has stood the test of time.


That led to his membership in the classic rock group The Allman Brothers Band. Since 1997, his work with the band has earned him two Grammy nominations for best rock instrumental, in 2003 and in 2004.


Following his 17-year stint in the Allman Brothers Band, Oteil spent ten years holding down the low end of Dead & Company, a band formed by the surviving members of the Grateful Dead (Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart) and John Mayer, along with keyboardist Jeff Chimenti. Dead & Company completed ten US tours, performing to over four million fans across 235 shows. Dead & Company headlined iconic stadiums across the country including Folsom Field, Oracle Park, Citi Field, Fenway Park and Dodger Stadium and broke Wrigley Field's all-time concert attendance record. In between tours, the band hosted their annual all-inclusive Caribbean concert series in Mexico called "Playing in the Sand." Dead & Company was one of the first bands to play the Sphere in Las Vegas, completing two residencies there in 2024 and 2025.


Over the years, Oteil has shared the stage with rock and blues legends such as Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Levon Helm, Taj Mahal, Buddy Guy, Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Billy Gibbons, Chuck Leavell, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Johnny Winter, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow and Trey Anastasio. In 2012, Oteil received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his 17 year contribution to the Allman Brothers Band as the longest running bassist in the band’s history.

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Over the years, Oteil has also recorded and shared the stage with jazz and jazz-rock fusion legends Herbie Hancock, Roy Haynes, Randy Brecker, John Scofield, Jerry Goodman, Bob Moses, Lenny White, Steve Smith, Bela Fleck, Jimmy Herring, Howard Levi, Victor Wooten and Branford Marsalis.


Oteil’s fourth solo record, “Water In The Desert” was released on October 27, 2017. He assembled an all-star group of musicians for this record, including late brother Kofi on keyboards and flute, Little John Roberts and Sean O’Rourke on drums, vocalists Alfreda Gerald and Mark Rivers, Dave Yoke on guitar, Miguel Atwood Ferguson on strings and producer David Ryan Harris. “Oteil & Friends”, which features a rotating cast of all-star musicians (including Melvin Seals, Eric Krasno, John Kadlecik, Tom Guarana, Jay Lane, Jeff Chimenti, John Morgan Kimock, Jennifer Hartswick, Jason Crosby, Natalie Cressman, Lamar Williams Jr., Weedie Braimah and Alfreda Gerald) toured the northeast in November 2017 to support the record and continued to tour through 2019. Oteil and Friends shows and festival appearances were canceled due to the 2020 pandemic but the band resume touring again in 2021. 


During his time at home during the pandemic, Oteil created the Comes A Time podcast with friend and comedian Mike Finoia. To date, they have released 100 episodes, featuring guests such as Oteil’s bandmates Bob Weir, John Mayer, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart and Jeff Chimenti as well as other special guests like Paul Stamets, Duncan Trussell, Billy Strings, Bill Walton, Victor Wooten, Page McConnell and Bela Fleck. 


Oteil launched his teaching app, the Ozone, in November 2021. Through, Join the Ozone, Oteil teaches music theory and philosophy and includes personal pre-recorded courses and monthly live calls with students. The pre-recorded courses include six levels of harmony, rhythm and philosophy training, features never before heard stories, Q&A sessions, tricks and tips for being on the road, improvisation, and so much more.


Oteil released an album of Garcia/Hunter ballads that he recorded in Iceland in December 2022 called Lovely View of Heaven and continues to tour with his band Oteil & Friends across the US. His upcoming album titled "The Offering", which was also recorded at Floki Studios in Iceland, will be released in the Spring of 2026.


2026 will also see the release of a new album by
Toy Factory Project, a band formed by Marshall Tucker Band drummer Paul Riddle to honor the legacy and songs of the late MTB-cofounder Toy Caldwell. In addition to Paul Riddle and Oteil, the band is rounded out by singer/guitarists Marcus King and Charlie Starr, keyboardist Josh Shilling, and percussionist Jimmy Rector. Guests on the Toy Factory Project album include names like Peter Frampton, Vince Gill, Derek Trucks & more.



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You may not know...

Oteil has been acting since he was 15. He was in a show called "Stuff," and also appeared in Peter Sellers' 1979 movie

"Being There"