Rod Abernethy is a master acoustic guitarist, authentic southern folk troubadour, and award-winning soundtrack composer for film, TV and video games. Rod has been a major force in the North Carolina music scene for decades, having played in North Carolina 80’s bands Arrogance and Glass Moon and recorded albums for major labels Warner Bros, MCA and Elektra Records. As a composer, he has scored and produced music for over 80 video games including the Electronic Art's blockbuster hit "Dead Space" which won a BAFTA Award in 2009 for Best Original Score and Tolkien's "The Hobbit" for Vivendi Universal and won Video Game Soundtrack Of The Year in 2003. Rod is also an adjunct professor of music composition at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston Salem, NC.
After decades of being a composer for film, TV and video games, Rod is now returning to his early roots writing both songs and instrumentals that harken back to his early folk artist days with new songs that revolve around family, friends and places across his home state of North Carolina. Rod’s guitar instrumentals evoke styles of his favorite guitar players like Leo Kottke, Michael Hedges and Tommy Emmanuel. His new double album “The Man I’m Supposed To Be” is due for release in May 2018.
Rod collaborated on “The Man I’m Supposed To Be” with legendary producer Don Dixon (REM, Marti Jones, The Smithereens, Marshall Crenshaw) recording the basic tracks at Buddha View Studios in Charlotte, NC. All tracks were mixed by Rod at 1101 Studios in Raleigh, NC and produced by Rod, Dixon and Kari Estrin. Star performances include John Teer of Chatham County Line on mandolin, Joe Newberry on banjo, Caitlin Cary and Susan Cattaneo providing background vocals, and Pattie Kinlaw Hopkins of Hank, Pattie and The Current on filddle.
Radio Promotion/Interviews: Kari Estrin Management & Consulting, Nashville TN 37206 - 615.262.0883 - kari@kariestrin.com
Quotes
"Rod Abernethy is just an extraordinarily gifted musician. His dextrous and emotional 12-string guitar work has been a balm and an inspiration to me over the years. It's been great to finally share a stage with him at a couple shows!"
Peter Holsapple
"Imagine what would happen if you musically crossed the iconic guitar chops of Leo Kottke and John Fahey with the prophetic and immensely appealing songs of Bob Dylan and Tom Waits. Rod fits that bill. While consistently putting his very unique artistry out there, one can hear distinct echoes of these truly significant artistic forces. To my ears, Rod joins that group in very rare air, all of whom have kept meaning in melodies and a kind of prescient skill in lyrics. If you have a chance to see and hear Rod Abernethy live, don't miss it."
Bob Hinkle owner/manager, The White Horse Black Mountain
"Rod is a true student of music, gracefully performing songs with a sincere humbleness that one can't help but relate to. His mastery of the 6 and 12 string guitars was a real treat to watch, and we look forward to his next performance in the hall!"
Bill Heath owner/operator, Muddy Creek Music Hall,
Winston Salem, NC
"Rod Abernethy has truly mastered the art of storytelling. At first he charms you with sentimental stories and clever lyrics that tug at your heart then he mesmerizes you with his spellbinding guitar playing. It’s always a thrill to see Rod perform."
Gigi Thigpen, Jazz Entertainment Agency, Raleigh, NC
"Rod put on an awesome set for us. He’s a true artist on stage and a great guy to work with. Several patrons came up to me at the break to tell me how much they enjoyed his performance. He’s the real deal."
David E. Sardinha, Six String Presents, The Cary Theater, Cary, NC
"There are many excellent acoustic guitar players, and for anyone who loves acoustic guitar, it is one of life’s joys to hear them play. You would not, however, mention them in the same paragraph as Leo Kottke, or Norman Blake, or John Fahey. You would mention Rod though. Rod’s playing is transcendent, beyond technique, utterly superb. It is an extraordinary thing to hear him play. His performances attact not only music lovers but other guitar players, and no one in the audience has a chance to hear anything like that anywhere else. We look at each other and shake our heads. You'll see."
Michael Thompson, acclaimed speaker, author and workshop presenter, Durham, NC
"After hearing Rod Abernethy play a solo guitar set of music earlier this summer we were so impressed with his wide range of talents that we were inspired to have him play a concert at our gallery. His presentation and choice of material from Dylan to Loudon Wainwright to Tom Waits interspersed with his own compositions both instrumentals and songs provided one of the most satisfying, thoughtful and fully developed sets of music we have heard in a long time. If you have the opportunity to go see Rod play, go for the guitar playing, but be ready for the inspiration."
Tom Odell, The Odell Art Studio & Gallery, Chatham, MA
"Rod Abernethy, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, was a guest on my radio show on WOMR in Provincetown this summer, and was truly amazing! Rod went back to his acoustic roots which were a perfect fit for the show, "Roots n' Offshoots." His guitar playing on both 6 and 12 String had such a rich quality, and his vocals demonstrated his inner strength an passion."
Carol Courneen, WOMR Provincetown MA
"Rod's acoustic performances at the 'Time Out Of Mind' Dylan tribute sounded like Pete Townsend playing Dylan.... Superb. This was a glorious, successful event on all fronts, so a huge salute to mastermind Rod Abernethy for pulling off a plan with a billion details."
John Custer, Grammy-Nominated Producer, Songwriter, Performer