Formed during the U.S. Bicentennial of 1976 Abilene melds
the genres of Rock, Country, Bluegrass, Blues and Cajun
music with a hard-driving stage performance that has
electrified audiences throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey
for three decades. Their rise to notoriety began when, shortly
after their inception, they were the opening act for piano man
Billy Joel in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The outstanding
reaction they received that night from the standing-room-only
crowd launched Abilene into the media spotlight and a position
of prominence among regional bands.

Best known for high-harmonies, multi-instrumentation and an
edgy brand of outlaw country-rock Abilene shared the stage
with and drew their material from some of the progenitors of
the genre, including The Flying Burrito Brothers (precursors of
the Eagles), The Charlie Daniels Band and The Nitty Gritty
Dirt Band. Never comfortable being pigeon-holed into a
musical category, Abilene has often found themselves on the
same stage with legends from diverse musical categories,
including The Beach Boys, Dakota, country singer-songwriter
Lacy J. Dalton, blues great James Cotton, southern rock kings
Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ricky Skaggs, the heir-apparent to
bluegrass icon Bill Monroe, and Little River Band.

Today, thirty years since they burst onto the scene, Abilene's
stage performance still sets the standard for high-energy,
good-time music.

ABILENE

HISTORY