Barry Abernathy
Contemporary Bluegrass
Barry Abernathy is a Georgia-born Scruggs-style banjoist who plays with only a thumb and partial digits on his fretting hand — a founding member of Mountain Heart, co-founder of Appalachian Road Show with Darrell Webb, and a multi-time SPBGMA Banjo Player of the Year and IBMA winner.
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- Plays Scruggs-style banjo despite a congenital birth defect that left him with only a thumb and partial digits on his fretting (left) hand; began at about age 14–15.
- Joined Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver in 1994; later played with IIIrd Tyme Out (1997).
- Founding member of Mountain Heart in 1998–1999 (with Steve Gulley and Jim VanCleve); remained until 2014/2015.
- SPBGMA Banjo Player of the Year, 1997.
- Co-founded Appalachian Road Show in 2018 with Darrell Webb; group won IBMA New Artist and Instrumental Group of the Year in 2021.
- Released "Barry Abernathy and Friends" solo project (2021).
- Multiple Grammy, ACM, CMA, and IBMA nominations across his career.
- He and his wife Beverly adopted siblings Tyler and Zoey from foster care; Tyler has the same hand difference as Barry — story featured on NBC's "Today Show" in 2020.
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Barry Abernathy and Friends2021 · Billy Blue BBR 2295
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Barry AbernathyPlayed on recording with Barry Abernathy
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Bryan SuttonPlayed on recording with Barry Abernathy
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Doyle LawsonPlayed on recording with Barry Abernathy
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Jim VanClevePlayed on recording with Barry Abernathy
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Ron StewartPlayed on recording with Barry Abernathy
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Sam BushPlayed on recording with Barry Abernathy
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Steve GulleyPlayed on recording with Barry Abernathy
