Frank Beard, longtime ZZ Top drummer, dead at 77

Frank Beard, the renowned drummer for the iconic blues rock group ZZ Top, has passed away at the age of 77. The legendary musician had been in hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, with his family by his side when he passed away, as announced by the band's publicist. ZZ Top briefly mentioned in March 2025 that Beard had temporarily stepped away from the band's ongoing tour due to an undisclosed health concern and that he was optimistic about a swift recovery.

Born on June 11, 1949, in Frankston, Texas, Beard joined the Houston-based band The Moving Sidewalks in 1969. The group later transformed into ZZ Top, and after some lineup changes and the addition of bassist Dusty Hill, they recorded their debut album, ZZ Top's First Album, in 1971. It took just a short time for Beard's exceptional drumming skills to become apparent, according to band frontman Billy Gibbons, who recalled meeting Beard in the 2019 documentary ZZ Top: That Little Ol Band from Texas.

Beard's rhythmic precision and intense playing style, particularly with his signature snare-rim-tapping triplets, were immediately recognized by Gibbons as a perfect fit for the band. The follow-up album, 1972's Rio Grande Mud, featured the modest hit "Francine," but it was the trio's third album, 1973's Tres Hombres, that solidified their place in the music industry.

Featuring Beard's distinctive drumming, the album's lead single, "La Grange," catapulted the album into the Billboard 200 all-genre albums chart and earned RIAA certification as a gold record.

During his time with ZZ Top, Beard contributed to 15 studio albums, with nine achieving RIAA gold or platinum status. Among their most successful releases, the 1983 album Eliminator sold over 10 million units in the United States alone and includes the hits "Sharp-Dressed Man" and "Gimme All Your Lovin," both propelled by Beard's driving backbeat.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 2004, alongside bassist Dusty Hill, who tragically passed away in July 2021 at the age of 72. Billy Gibbons is now the sole original member of ZZ Top.