ABOUT AARON ABERNATHY

Aaron Abernathy, is a pianist/soul singer, writer and multi-talented entertainer. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Abernathy comes from a long-line of historical pioneers including Civil Rights Leader, Rev. Ralph David Abernathy and student of the same high school music program as the late R&B great Gerald Levert. 

He joined the ranks of artists like Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack as a graduate from the prestigious music program at Howard University, where he sharpened his piano playing and musicianship by majoring in jazz piano.  With outstanding talents as both a pianist and a vocalist, he has acted as musical director for global touring acts Black Milk and Slum Village and collaborated with Grammy-nominated artists including Jack White, The Foreign Exchange, and Eric Roberson.

In the Spring of 2015, Abernathy and his band Nat Turner opened up for Black Milk on his "Play Like Hell European Tour" to rave reviews from European audiences. Abernathy’s aggressive combination of gospel-inspired vocals, tight change-ups, and raw funk vamps has been compared to D'angelo's Voodoo tour. Aaron's performance on stage reveals his diligent study in the Prince and James Brown schools of showmanship. Fall of 2016, Abernathy released his solo album "Monologue," that was met with critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork. Abernathy joined Black Milk as an opening act to support Monologue on his winter European leg of The Rebellion Tour. Again, Abernathy was met with rave reviews. The momentum behind Monologue is still rolling as Abernathy has performed in numerous venues around the world since its debut including the prestigious John F. Kennedy Center in Washington DC as well a sold out show in Toyko, Japan, in the spring of 2017. 

Abernathy continued his touring of the globe with his follow up albums that completed the trilogy: Dialogue, and Epilogue. His talent has touched audiences in places and cities such as New York City’s Brooklyn Museum, New Orleans’ Essence Festival, San Jose Jazz Festival, Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, London Jazz Cafe, Paris, Madrid International Jazz Festival, Barcelona, Rome and many other cities.

Abernathy's vulnerability and ability to capture audiences on record as well as in live performance, extended to him hosting talks on love, relationships, and self-worth in 2019 as apart of his Epilogue album campaign which focused on “love after heartbreak.” He’s hosted talks in Washington DC as well as Madrid and London. His talks have hosted safe spaces for vulnerable hearts to share and be heard with hopes of healing.

At the turn of the decade, Abernathy released a meditation album titled Affirmations, to uplift and motivate people to love themselves better through positive thoughts, which was timely prior to the onset of the pandemic. Abernathy returned to music in 2024 with the release of his latest album From The Throne Room, filled with records that have synced for television and film. This current year, he’s extended his songwriting to authorship with the release of his first two books, “Be Responsible For Myself,” and “Lessons on Love.”

Whether it be music, writing, or speaking, Aaron Abernathy’s craft is simply being a composer and curator of heart spaces for whomever is in the orbit of his creations. More amazing than that… he’s only just begun.