Overview

Gregory Abbott is an American singer, musician, composer, and producer known for his work in soul, R&B, and adult contemporary music. Born in New York City in April 1954, he is a dual citizen of the USA and Antigua. Abbott’s musical journey includes playing the keyboard, piano, and drums. He gained significant recognition with his debut album ‘Shake You Down’ in 1986, which featured the hit single of the same name that reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Before his music career, Abbott studied psychology and has a Masters degree, also teaching English at Berkeley. He balanced academia with his passion for music, eventually building his own studio to hone his skills as a singer, composer, and producer. Abbott has received numerous awards, including first prize at the Tokyo Music Festival. He was married to singer Freda Payne from 1976 to 1979 and they have a son, Gregory Abbott, Jr. His music reflects Caribbean/Spanish influences combined with his soulful voice.

What Is Gregory Abbott Net Worth’ Net Worth?

Gregory Abbott, an American singer, musician, composer, and producer, has an estimated net worth of $1 million as of 2025. Abbott’s financial standing primarily stems from his successful music career, marked by hit singles and album releases throughout the 1980s and beyond.

Early Career and Musical Breakthrough

Born on April 2, 1954, in Harlem, New York City, Gregory Joel Abbott’s musical journey began early in life. His mother, a Venezuelan native, and his father, from Antigua, both encouraged his musical talents. Abbott’s mother taught him piano, fostering his vocal development. By age 8, he was singing in the St. Patrick’s Cathedral Choir, which recorded an album and performed on television. Before fully committing to music, Abbott pursued higher education, earning a degree in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1975 and studying creative writing at Stanford, where he received a Wallace Stegner fellowship. He even taught English at the University of California, Berkeley.

Abbott’s transition to professional music involved building his own studio and honing skills as a singer, guitarist, composer, and producer. One of his early opportunities was working on an album for an independent label, which included a duet with Whitney Houston. He also produced for the group EQ on Atlantic Records. His breakthrough came in 1986 with the release of his debut solo album, “Shake You Down,” on Columbia Records. The title track became a massive hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and achieving platinum status. The album’s second single, “I Got The Feelin’ (It’s Over),” reached #5 on the R&B chart. The success of these singles propelled the album to platinum status, earning Abbott significant recognition and awards.

The album “Shake You Down” was released on February 1, 1986. It peaked at #16 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA for 500,000 sales by early 1987. The album’s success also translated internationally, with the title track charting highly in various countries. In Canada, the album reached #41 on the year-end charts in 1987. In the Netherlands, it reached #66 on the Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) chart for the same year. In the US, it was ranked #53 on the Billboard 200 chart for 1987.

Musical Works and Income

Abbott’s discography includes several studio albums:

  • Shake You Down (1986)
  • I’ll Prove It to You (1988)
  • One World! (1996)
  • Eyes, Whispers, Rhythm, Sex… (2002)
  • Dancing the Inner Realm (2005)
  • Rhyme and Reason (2006)
  • Drop Your Mask (2011)

The success of “Shake You Down” significantly boosted Abbott’s earnings in the late 1980s. While specific financial figures for each album and single are not publicly available, “Shake You Down” achieved platinum status, indicating sales of over one million copies. The sale prices for the “Shake You Down” album, last sold on March 7, 2025, ranged from a low of $0.14 to a high of $10.39, with a median price of $2.00. A CD reissue of the album, last sold on February 7, 2025, had prices ranging from $4.29 to $21.74, with a median price of $4.95.

Abbott’s hit single, “Shake You Down,” released in August 1986, not only topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart on January 17, 1987, but also reached #1 on the black singles chart in October 1986. Billboard ranked it as the No. 3 song for 1987. In the UK Singles Chart, it peaked at number six and spent 13 weeks on the chart starting November 22, 1986. “Shake You Down” was certified platinum by the RIAA.

Other Ventures and Recognition

Beyond album sales and hit singles, Gregory Abbott has received various forms of recognition that have likely contributed to his income and net worth. He won first prize at the Tokyo Music Festival, an international event that boosted his profile and potentially opened doors for further opportunities. Abbott also performed with Princess Stephanie of Monaco in Belgium, further enhancing his international presence and appeal.

Abbott was known for his sophisticated style and appeared in magazine layouts, including a six-page fashion spread in Playboy. He was also featured as one of the ten sexiest male recording artists in Playgirl. These appearances would have provided additional income and increased his public visibility.

Additional Points

While it was reported by Mediamass.net that Gregory Abbott was the highest-paid singer in the world with an estimated net worth of $275 million, this information is considered unreliable. Celebrity Net Worth reports his Net Worth to be $1 million.

Gregory Abbott has continued to release new music, including singles through his own Mojo Man Entertainment label. He released an album entitled “Drop Your Mask” in 2011 and continues to release singles multiple times per year. These releases likely generate some income, though the specific figures are not publicly available.

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