Rod Abernethy

Rod Abernethy is an acclaimed folk singer-songwriter, master acoustic guitarist, and award-winning composer for film, TV, and video games. A fixture in the North Carolina music scene, Rod blends southern storytelling with virtuosic guitar work, drawing comparisons to Leo Kottke and Tommy Emmanuel.

His latest album, Normal Isn’t Normal Anymore, produced by Grammy nominee Neilson Hubbard, features deeply personal songs inspired by life on the road and changing times. Highlights include the title track—eerily prescient in a post-pandemic world—the tender “My Father Was a Quiet Man,” and the whimsical “Birds in the Chimney.” The album also showcases Rod’s dynamic instrumentals, including the rollicking “Over the Fence.”

Winner of the 2019 American Songwriter Bob Dylan Song Contest, Rod’s previous album The Man I’m Supposed to Be reached the Folk DJ Top 10 and featured collaborations with producer Don Dixon and artists like Joe Newberry and Caitlin Cary.

Beyond the folk world, Rod is a celebrated composer with over 80 video game scores to his name, including EA’s Dead Space (BAFTA winner, Best Use of Audio) and The Hobbit (2003 Video Game Soundtrack of the Year). He currently teaches music composition at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and continues to tour nationally.

www.rodabernethy.com