ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard dies at age 77
Frank Beard, the longtime drummer of American rock-blues group ZZ Top, has died at the age of 77, the band and their publicist announced Tuesday.
Frank Beard, the drummer for ZZ Top, has passed away at the age of 77. His distinctive beats contributed to the band's hits like “La Grange” and “Sharp Dressed Man”. Beard had stepped back from touring last year due to undisclosed health problems. Lead singer Billy Gibbons remembered Beard as a “great friend and collaborator” and praised his innovative drumming style and significance to the band.
ZZ Top, which operated for six decades with Beard, plans to continue its performances as per Beard’s desire. The musician, born in Frankston, Texas in 1949, joined ZZ Top in 1969 and saw the band's evolution from a heavy blues sound to an experimental synthesizer sound in the 1980s. ZZ Top also gained popularity through their music videos, including “Gimme All Your Lovin’”, winning three MTV Video Music Awards.
Beard's original bassist Dusty Hill died in 2021, leaving the band now comprising Gibbons, bassist Elwood Francis, and touring drummer Michael Monahan. After Beard’s demise, the band canceled shows in Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs. ZZ Top announced on social media that they will continue the show at Austin City Limits, a venue Beard considered his second home in Texas.
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