Jerry Bob Abbott (April 8, 1942 – April 2, 2024) was an American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

songwriter and record producer. He was the father of heavy metal musicians

Vinnie Paul Vincent Paul Abbott (March 11, 1964 – June 22, 2018) was an American musician best known for being the drummer and co-founder of the heavy metal music, heavy metal band Pantera. He also co-founded Damageplan in 2003 with his younger brother, ...

and

Dimebag Darrell Darrell Lance Abbott (August 20, 1966 – December 8, 2004), known professionally as Dimebag Darrell, was an American musician. He was the guitarist of the heavy metal music, heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan, both of which he co-founde ...

, both formerly of

Pantera Pantera () is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Arlington, Texas in 1981 by the Abbott brothers (guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul), and currently composed of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, an ...

and Damageplan.

Biography

Abbott was born in

Abilene, Texas Abilene ( ) is a city in Taylor County, Texas, Taylor and Jones County, Texas, Jones counties, Texas, United States. Its population was 125,182 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene metropolitan ar ...

, on April 8, 1942. He began playing the piano at age eight and took up the guitar aged 15. He joined a local band at the age of 18 and spent a few years touring Texas, then began working as a member of resident bands in numerous nightclubs. During this time, he attended college and obtained a business degree. In 1973, Abbott was hired as a

sound engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a sound recording, recording or a Concert, live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization (audio), equalization, Dynamic range ...

by the owner of a local recording studio. Abbott married Norma Carolyn Adkisson in 1962. They divorced in 1979. The marriage produced two sons: Vincent Paul (1964–2018) and Darrell Lance (1966–2004). His sons co-founded the heavy metal band

in 1981, and Abbott was the band's first manager. He also produced the group's early albums ''

Metal Magic ''Metal Magic'' is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Pantera, released on June 10, 1983, by Metal Magic Records. Like the band's next three releases, it is musically oriented toward a glam/heavy metal sound influenced by Kiss ...

'' (1983), ''

Projects in the Jungle ''Projects in the Jungle'' is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Pantera, released on July 27, 1984, through Metal Magic Records. The band would make their first music video for the track "All Over Tonight". Though sharing ma ...

'' (1984), '' I Am the Night'' (1985) and ''

Power Metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within a symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in co ...

'' (1988), at his recording studio Pantego Sound. All of these albums were released by Metal Magic Records, a label that Abbott had created under the alias Jerry Eld'n. After Pantera agreed to a major-label deal with

Atco Records ATCO Records is an American record label founded in 1955. It is owned by Warner Music Group and operates as an imprint of Atlantic Records. After several decades of dormancy and infrequent activity under alternating Warner Music labels, the com ...

in 1989, Abbott left his role as the band's producer, though ''

Cowboys from Hell ''Cowboys from Hell'' is the fifth studio album and major label debut by American heavy metal band Pantera, released on July 24, 1990, by Atco Records. It marked the first of many collaborations with producer Terry Date. This was also the alb ...

'' (1990) and ''

Vulgar Display of Power ''Vulgar Display of Power'' is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Pantera. Released on February 25, 1992, through Atco Records, it was the band's second collaboration with producer Terry Date, after having worked with him on ...

'' (1992) were both recorded at Pantego Sound. In Texas, Abbott also served as a producer for

Texas blues Texas blues is blues music from Texas. As a regional style, its original form was characterized by jazz and swing influences. Later examples are often closer to blues rock and Southern rock. History Texas blues began to appear in the early 1900 ...

artist Bugs Henderson. Abbott then moved to

Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

to become a country songwriter and founded a new studio, Abtrax Recording. ''

Far Beyond Driven ''Far Beyond Driven'' is the seventh studio album by American heavy metal band Pantera, released on March 21, 1994 in the UK and March 22 internationally by Elektra Records and East West Records. Pantera's fastest-selling album, it peaked at n ...

'' (1994) was recorded at Abtrax. Abbott was successful as a songwriter and received songwriting credits for songs recorded by artists such as

Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, bandleader, and activist. She is considered one of the leading music artists behind the country rock genre in the 1970s and the Americana (music), Americana genre ...

and

Freddy Fender Freddy Fender (born Baldemar Garza Huerta; June 4, 1937 – October 14, 2006) was an American Country and Tejano singer, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados. His signature sound fused cou ...

. Abbott's former wife Carolyn died from lung cancer in 1999. His younger son Darrell was murdered in 2004 and his elder son Vincent died from a heart attack in 2018. All three are buried at the Moore Memorial Gardens cemetery in

Arlington, Texas Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and is a principal c ...

. Abbott died at a caregiving facility in

Denton, Texas Denton is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Denton County, Texas, Denton County. With a population of 139,869 as of 2020, it is the List of cities in Texas by population, 20th-most populous city in Texas, the List of Un ...

, on April 2, 2024, at the age of 81.

References

Citations

Sources

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Abbott, Jerry 1942 births 2024 deaths American country songwriters Pantera People from Abilene, Texas People from Tarrant County, Texas Record producers from Texas Songwriters from Texas Country musicians from Texas 20th-century American songwriters 21st-century American songwriters