Obituary of James Harris Wooten/ Jim Wooten

Jim Wooten/ James Harris Wooten (1951-2025)

Worked as a piano technician for the Metropolitan Opera for 25 years. Later he was head of Yamaha Artist Services. Consultant for piano manufacturers Steinway, Yamaha, Aeolian (Knabe, Mason and Hamlin), and Baldwin.

Born in Greenwood, Mississippi in September 1951. Died in New York City in November 2025.

James Harris Wooten comes from a musicians' family. His mother is pianist Mary Roberts Wooten, and she started training her son as a musician from early age. Early on he was trained as well as a piano technician by his father Presley Eugene Wooten.

Jim tuned and prepared the Metropolitan Opera pianos In the orchestra pit, on stage, at List Hall, and for all rehearsal rooms.

He was especially admired by Met musicians such as

Walter Taussig, Alberta Masiello, Richard Woitach, and Elena Doria, besides working directly with singers like Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo,and Jessie Norman, and Leonryne Price.

Jim Wooten joined the Met in mid 1970's. During his tenure at the Met, Jim built a solid reputation as one of the foremost keyboard technicians in the country.

He worked as well on the pianos of the New York City Opera building for the New York City Ballet, besides working in schools such as the Juilliard and the Mannes Conservatory.

Jim is survived by his husband, Eduardo Zeiger, his brother Beverly Daniel Evans, and his sister Mary Adele Wooten.