Abbington was one of the nation's most respected leaders in Black sacred music. Born and raised in Gary (McDowell County), he learned to play the piano from his mother at age six and quickly became known for playing by ear.

A 1978 graduate of Gary High School, Abbington directed school and church choirs before attending West Virginia State College (now University) and later Morehouse College in Atlanta. He earned advanced music degrees in Michigan and went on to teach at several universities, including Emory, Morehouse, and Yale.

Abbington served as a church musician, choir director, teacher, and scholar. He wrote books and hymnals, helped preserve the history of African American church music, and became only the second Black musician named a Fellow of the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada. In 2025, Duke Divinity School created a new faculty position for him shortly before his death.

Remembered by many as the nation's leading expert on Black sacred music, Abbington never forgot his West Virginia roots.