AI Generated Image
Frank Beard, ZZ Top's Hard-Shuffling Drummer, Dead at 77
Rolling Stone • • general
Key Points:
- Frank Beard, the longtime drummer for ZZ Top, died at age 77 while in hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas; the cause of death was not disclosed.
- ZZ Top canceled two upcoming shows in Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs but plan to resume their tour in Austin this weekend.
- Beard was known for his masterful Texas shuffle drumming style, anchoring ZZ Top’s blues rock sound on hits like “Tush” and “La Grange,” and was instrumental in bringing bassist Dusty Hill into the band.
- Throughout his career, Beard faced serious health challenges and struggled with substance abuse but overcame them, contributing to ZZ Top’s rise from regional act to international rock icons with multiplatinum albums and MTV hits.
- Outside of music, Beard was a family man and ranch owner, and he expressed deep satisfaction with his longtime bandmates Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill, highlighting over 50 years of collaboration.
