Rock N Roll RIP
Pantera drummer and Arlington native Vinnie Paul Abbott dies
Vinnie Paul Abbott, a native of Arlington and the former drummer for metal-rock band Pantera, died in Las Vegas on June 23; he was 54.
First reported by Billboard, his death was announced on Pantera's Facebook page:
"Vincent Paul Abbott aka Vinnie Paul has passed away. Paul is best known for his work as the drummer in the bands Pantera and Hellyeah. No further details are available at this time. The family requests you please respect their privacy during this time."
Paul's early death follows the tragic death of his brother, guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, who was shot while performing onstage in a rock club in 2004; he was 38.
The Abbotts grew up in a musical family; their father was country songwriter Jerry Abbott.
The brothers founded Pantera in 1981. Their 1992 album Vulgar Display of Power boasted anthems such as "Walk" and "Mouth For War," helping propel their 1994 album Far Beyond Driven to debut at No. 1 on the charts.
Vinnie Paul had been living in Las Vegas, and for the past 10 years, he played with heavy metal band Hellyeah, fronted by Mudvayne singer Chad Gray. Their fifth album, Undeniable, was released in 2016, and they'd recently begun recording a sixth album.
A private funeral will take place on June 30, but there is a public memorial on Sunday July 1. Abbott's family and record label will host "Vinnie Paul: A Public Celebration of Life," at the Bomb Factory in Deep Ellum.
This will be a free event with no tickets sold, although wristbands will be required. The memorial takes place at 3:33 pm, while the line for wristbands begins at noon.
