Abbott was born in Abilene, Texas, on April 8, 1942.[1] 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 by the owner of a local recording studio.[2]
Abbott married Norma Carolyn Adkisson in 1962. They divorced in 1979.[3] The marriage produced two sons: Vincent Paul (1964–2018) and Darrell Lance (1966–2004). His sons co-founded the heavy metal band Pantera in 1981, and Abbott was the band's first manager. He also produced the group's early albums Metal Magic (1983), Projects in the Jungle (1984), I Am the Night (1985) and Power Metal (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.[4]
Abbott then moved to Nashville to become a country songwriter and founded a new studio, Abtrax Recording. Far Beyond Driven (1994) was recorded at Abtrax.[6] Abbott was successful as a songwriter and received songwriting credits for songs recorded by artists such as Emmylou Harris and Freddy Fender.[7]
Abbott's former wife Carolyn died from lung cancer in 1999.[8] His younger son Darrell was murdered in 2004 and his elder son Vincent died from a heart attack in 2018.[9] All three are buried at the Moore Memorial Gardens cemetery in Arlington, Texas.[10]
Abbott died at a caregiving facility in Denton, Texas, on April 2, 2024, at the age of 81.[11]