Vinnie Paul (54) – drummer with metal band Pantera/Damageplan – was born March 11, 1964 in Abilene, Texas. His parents were Jerry, a country music songwriter and producer, and Carolyn Abbott. Abbott originally played the tuba after being assigned to it in school band class, but he was directed towards the drums by his father, who said there were no career prospects for a tuba player. His father bought him his first drum kit.
Paul formed Pantera in 1981 with his brother Dimebag Darrell and Terry Glaze on guitars, bassist Tommy D. Bradford, and vocalist Donnie Hart. Pantera recruited vocalist Phil Anselmo in 1987.
Pantera’s breakthrough album was Cowboys from Hell (1990, Atco Records). They went on to release four more studio records, a live album and a greatest hits compilation. A dispute between singer/frontman Phil Anselmo and the Abbott brother caused the band to slowly fall apart and after the informal breakup of Pantera in 2003, the Abbott brothers formed the heavy metal band Damageplan and recorded one album, New Found Power. Sadly Damageplan broke up after the on stage murder of Vinnie’s bother, lead guitar player Darrell on December 8, 2004.
After an 18-month hiatus, Vinnie Paul joined with the heavy metal supergroup Hellyeah, which also features vocalist Chad Gray and guitarist Greg Tribbett from Mudvayne, guitarist Tom Maxwell from Nothingface, and bassist Bob Zilla from Damageplan. He recorded six albums with Hellyeah, including 2016’s Undeniable and the final album “Welcome Home”. In May 2019, it was announced that Hellyeah would tour for the first time since Abbott’s death to support the final album he recorded with the band.
Vinnie Paul died in his Las Vegas home on June 22, 2018 at age 54. A coroner’s report determined that his death was from complications of an enlarged heart and severe coronary artery disease.
