Oteil Burbridge was born August 24, 1964 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in an African‑American family. From an early age he trained in jazz and classical music, mastering bass guitar, drums, bass clarinet, violin, and trumpet, while his brother Kofi learned flute and keyboards. Oteil Burbridge’s first professional break came as a founding member of Bruce Hampton’s avant‑garde group Col. Bruce Hampton & the Aquarium Rescue Unit, where he showcased his skill on four‑, five‑, and six‑string basses and blended bluegrass, rock, Latin, blues, jazz, and funk. In 1997 he joined the Allman Brothers Band, remaining until their 2014 retirement and contributing to albums such as Peakin’ at the Beacon (2000) and One Way Out (2004); the band earned two Grammy nominations and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. He later co‑founded the Tedeschi Trucks Band in 2010, recording the Grammy‑winning Revelator (2011) and live album Everybody’s Talkin’ (2012). In 2015, Oteil Burbridge became a founding member of Dead & Company and Les Brers, touring extensively through 2023, while releasing solo albums Water in the Desert (2017) and Lovely View of Heaven (2023). In 2026, he partnered with Lamar Williams Jr. on The Offering.
![SDPodcast: Wisdom (feat. Oteil Burbridge & Jahman Hill) [Austn Space Mix]](https://cdn-images.dzcdn.net/images/cover/8225b748c1b7c6c53bf2a2954b7adee1/120x120-000000-80-0-0.jpg)