As a drummer/backing singer, Abbot founded the Black Abbots in Chester during the mid-1960s and released several singles to modest chart success on minor labels in the early 1970s. The band only signed their first major recording contract in 1977, putting out a series of comedy singles and a lone live album with Abbot now taking lead vocals, before disbanding in 1980. Later on he appeared as a Comedian, winning the Funniest Man On Television award five times. Abbot appeared on the television show The Comedians under his birth name (Russ Roberts). From 1980 onward, he released some albums as a solo Artist and appeared in several TV series. The most successful of his music singles was called "Atmosphere", which did well in the UK top 10, peaking at #7 in 1984.