Drummer and original member of Gov't Mule, Abts first started playing music in high school in Panama before relocating to Virginia where he spent the next 8 years playing music regionally in many bands before moving to Florida and getting a break playing with Dickey Betts and Chuck Leavell in 1984. He recorded with the Dickey Betts Band in 1988 which also included future Gov't Mule member Warren Haynes.

He relocated to LA where he, Haynes and Allen Woody played their first gig as Gov't Mule in 1994. They recorded 5 albums and toured extensively until August 2000, when bass player Woody died unexpectedly. Abts and Haynes continued on with the release of the Deep End I & II, and the Deepest End live album which was a tribute to Woody featuring over 20 of the biggest names in bass players ever assembled (including John Entwhistle, Jack Bruce, Larry Graham, Alphonso Johnson and Flea)

In 2004, with keyboard player Danny Louis and bass player Andy Hess already in the new line up, they released Deja Voodoo and continued touring in support of the album, both nationally and abroad through 2005.

Time away from Gov't Mule has been spent in recording and live performances in many different formats, including a venture known as X2 with Johnny Neel, and the Southern funk band Deep Fried with Neel, George Porter Jr. (bass) and Brian Stoltz (guitar).