Pantera is:

Philip Hansen Anselmo: - Vocals
Darrell Lance Abbot: - Guitar
Rex Robert Brown: - Bass
Vincent Paul Abbot: - Drums

Former Members:

Terrence Lee (a.k.a. Terry Glaze): - Vocals (from 1982-1986)
David Peacock: - Vocals (1986)
Donny Hart: - Vocals (1986)
Matt Lamour: - Vocals (1986)

Philip Anselmo, Darrell Abbot, Rex Brown and Vincent Abbot (or as they are better known as: Phil Anselmo, Dimebag Darrell, Rex, and Vinnie Paul) are Pantera. Over the years they have developed a trademark riff-driven, pounding rhythmic and aggresive vocal style called power groove.

Vincent Paul Abbot was born on the 11th of March, 1964 in Dallas, Texas. He is the oldest member of the group.
Rex Robert Brown was born on the 27th of July, 1964 in Graham, Texas.
Vinnie's brother, Darrell Lance Abbot was born on the 20th of August, 1966 in Dallas, Texas.
Philip Hansen Anselmo was born on the 30th of June, 1968 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Vinnie Abbott had chosen to play tuba in his high school band. His father, country songwriter Jerry Abbott, told Vinnie to play drums. He said to Vinnie:

"You're gonna play drums. You can do really well with them"

Vinnie took a liking to the drums and he got involved in the school band. While playing in the school jazz band, he met a bassist called Rex Brown. They became friends and spent their classtime performing cover tunes of the bands they were into.

Meanwhile, Vinnie's younger brother Darrell started to take up an interest in the drums, trying to be like his older brother. He soon gave up drums because he wanted to be like his hero, KISS guitarist Ace Frehley. He spent his time in the bathroom, posing in the mirror with his guitar and Frehley-style makeup. After much time spent practising, Darrell offerd to jam with his brother. They began with a cover of Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water, and developed their skills together. Darrell entered several Texas State guitar contests and won them all. He was so good that organisers of the guitaring contents decided to ban him because they had to give other people a go. He was 16 years old when they banned him. One of the prizes Darrell won was a Dean ML guitar in a sunburt colour scheme.

Pantera were formed in 1982 by Vinnie, Darrell and Rex with Terrence Lee as the vocalist. The band name was originally Pantego, named after the town that is just outside Texas. The name was soon changed to Pantera, which means Panther in Spanish. They started off playing mainly Van Halen and KISS covers at their concerts. Vinnie's father, Jerry Abbot, encouraged them to start writing their own material.

In 1983, they recorded their first independant album entitled Metal Magic. Rex was credited as Rocker Rex, Darrell as Diamond Darrell, Vinnie as Vince Abbot and Terrence Lee as Terry Glaze. Metal Magic sold poorly.

In 1984, Pantera recorded their second independant album entitled Projects In The Jungle, which again sold quite poorly. While it didn't sell that well, it created large underground support for Pantera.

In 1985 Pantera recorded their third independant album, I Am The Night. Vince and Terrence changed their credited names: Vince was now credited as Vinnie Paul, and Terrence used his real name - Terrence Lee - in the credits.

In 1986, Terrence Lee left Pantera and there were a string of vocalists that came and left the band. David Peacock, lead singer of the band Forced Entry, joined Pantera for live shows. Soon Peacock left and was replaced by Boss Tweed singer Donny Hart, who had a long history with Pantera and knew Rex, Darrell and Vinnie pretty well. Hart also didn't work out with the band, and was replaced by a singer from Houston called Matt Lamour, who came from the band Lick. When Lamour left the band, he went onto front a band called Lillian X, and later was vocalist for a New York band called Diamond. Rhett Forrester, front man on Riot's Restless Breed was auditioned for the job as lead singer, but he didn't it.

In late 1986, Razor White lead singer, Philip Anselmo was auditioned for vocalist of Pantera. Anselmo was known back then as 'The original circus freak'. Anselmo got the job, and began playing live shows with Pantera.

In 1988, Pantera, with Phil on vocals, recorded their heaviest independant album called Power Metal which sold in excess of 30,000 copies and gained the band a large underground following. They obtained the services of Guy Skyes as their manager in 1988.

Diamond Darrell had gained himself a name for being one of the metal's best guitarists. In 1989, Darrell was asked to join ex-Metallica guitarist Dave Mustaine's band, Megadeth, but he declined, saying he wished to pursue his career with Pantera.

Looking back at the glam metal albums that Pantera recorded, Vinnie Paul said:

"Yes, we were really poodlehaired wimps back then but since that was the market we did what we thought would sell. I am proud of the albums we did but I wouldn't do them today."

The success of Power Metal didn't go unnoticed by the major record companies. In 1990, Pantera signed with East West/Atlantic Records, and in the same year released their first major label record on Atco records called Cowboys From Hell, produced by Terry "Rope King" Date. The band commenced their Cowboys From Hell Tour, which took them to different places around the world, and earned them supprting slots with Suicidal Tendancies and Skid Row. On the 21st of September, 1991, Pantera played in front of one million people at Russia's Monsters Of Rock festival. In the same year, Pantera's first ever home video was released, aptly titled Cowboys From Hell: The Videos.

In 1992, Pantera released their second major album Vulgar Display of Power, which broke new ground in the metal industry. The first single off the album, Mouth For War debuted at number one on the US Charts; the first metal single ever to do that.

The Vulgar Videos, Pantera's second home video was released in 1993.

After building a large fan base through the release of Cowboys From Hell and Vulgar Display Of Power, Pantera released their third major label album in March 1994, entitled Far Beyond Driven. It debuts at number one on the US and Australian charts. The band set out on a world tour. After being called Diamond Darrell since 1983, Darrell changed his show name to Dimebag Darrell, and changed his guitar sponsorship from Dean guitars to Washburn guitars. He is now known as The Face of Washburn guitars.

After the tour, Pantera began writing and recording their fourth album, and on May 7th, 1996, The Great Southern Trendkill was released. The band set out once again on a tour, but mainly focused this tour in Australia, Asia and New Zealand.

In 1996, Pantera gained their first Grammy nomination for Suicide Note Pt. I for Best Metal Performance. They sadly didn't win.

On the 12th of July, 1996, after a show at the Coca-Cola Starplex in Dallas, Texas, Phil Anselmo overdosed on herion and died for four for five minutes. He had to be revived and taken to the hospital. He posted this message on the alt.music.pantera newsgroup:

I, Philip H. Anselmo, immediately after a very successful show in Dallas injected a lethal dose of Heroin into my arm, and died for 4 to 5 minutes. There was no lights, no beautiful music, just nothing. And then after 20 minutes (from what I heard later) my friends slapped me and poured water over my head all basically trying to revive me. The paramedics finally arrived and all I remember is waking up in the back of an ambulance. From that point on I knew all I wanted was to be back on the tour bus, going to the next gig. Instead I was going to the hospital where I was released very shortly. You see, I'm not a Heroin Addict. But I am (was) an intravenous drug abuser. The lesson learned here is that every nightmare ever heard about O.D.ing, and or, Heroin is terribly true. And for my friends and family as well as myself and our fans (Pantera, Down Etc.), I since then have recovered completely, the Pantera Tour uninterrupted. I intend to keep it that way! Special Thanks to my Family and Friends who supported me, and the fans who pump me up to the hilt. One message to everyone in this fucking world. I am not a weakling groping for sympathy. I WILL NOT DIE SO EASILY! I'm here to piss off the music press for a long time to come.

Very Sincerely,

Philip Anselmo

In 1997, Pantera opened for their idols KISS in Mexico, Argentina and Chile. Still touring, Pantera leap into the OZZfest.
In the same year, on the 29th of July, Pantera released their fourth album called Official Live: 101 Proof, a collection of songs from their Great Southern Trendkill Tour, as well as two new studio tracks, which for the first time were songs that Terry Date did not produce. Instead, Dimebag and Vinnie took over the producing role.

Also in 1997, Pantera released their long-awaited third home video called 3: Watch It Go, on November 11th. It debuted at number one on the US Music Video Charts. Also in 1997, Pantera were nominated for a Grammy in Best Metal Performance for Cemetary Gates, from Official Live: 101 Proof.

In 1998, and half on 1999, Pantera kept on touring. In 1998, Pantera opened for Black Sabbath, as well as havin their own solo tour. In August of 1999, Pantera went into the studio to record their fifth major label album (their tenth album all up), without the help of producer Terry Date. Once again, Vinnie and Dimebag took over the role as producers, like they did for the two tracks on Official Live: 101 Proof.

In October of 1999, Pantera re-released their three home videos onto DVD. This special double DVD box set included the three home videos on one DVD, and some unreleased footage from the Monsters Of Rock, from 1991.

In 2000, Pantera released their 6th album called "Reinventing The Steel" on March 21st. Im sure they will rise to the top once again with this cd.