Died On This Date (June 22, 2018) Vinnie Paul / Drummer for Pantera, Damageplan, Hellyeah
themusicsover Vinnie Paul (Born Vincent Paul Abbott)
(March 11, 1964 – June 22, 2018)
Vinnie Paul, founding drummer for the highly influential metal band, Pantera, reportedly died in his sleep on June 22, 2018. He was 54. According to TMZ: “Vinnie’s family tells TMZ … he died in his sleep at his home in Las Vegas. His body’s been turned over to the medical examiner to determine a cause of death, and after that he’ll be flown back to his home state of Texas to be buried between his mom and brother.”
Born in Abilene, Texas, Paul’s first introduction to music likely came from his father, Jerry Abbott, a country music songwriter and producer who went on to helm Pantera’s early records. Formed in 1981, Pantera counted Paul’s brother, Darrell Abbott (later known as Dimebag Darrell) among its ranks. Pantera went on to become one of the biggest names in metal during the ’90s, selling over 60 million albums combined. After Pantera disbanded in 2003, Paul formed nu-metal band, Damageplan with his brother. Their only album, New Found Power, debuted at #38 on the Billboard charts. Before the band could pick up real steam however, tragedy struck when Dimebag was shot and killed along with four others when an assailant climbed the stage and began firing with no apparent motive. After taking an 18-month hiatus, Paul joined metal supergroup, Hellyeah, in 2008. The band went on to release five albums before Paul’s passing.
What You Should Own
“Dimebag Darrell” Abbott is best remembered as the founding guitarist for metal band, Pantera. Formed with his brother, drummer Vinnie Paul in 1981, the band evolved from its early glam leanings into one of thrash metal’s most influential bands by the end of their run. In 1992, the band released what would become their breakthrough album, Cowboys From Hell, which is generally included in any legitimate survey of the greatest metal albums of all time. In 2003, the band broke up due to internal politics. The Abbott brothers went on to form Damageplan, whose debut album, New Found Power, debuted in the top 40 of the album charts and went on to sell modestly. While on a Damageplan tour in Ohio on December 8, 2004, Dimebag Darryl’s life came to a tragic end in an eerily similar to, yet much bloodier fashion than 
