Frank Beard, ZZ Top Drummer, Dies at 77
“Frank Beard photos / credit: Jimmy Steinfeldt”
Frank Beard, ZZ Top Drummer, Dies at 77
Frank Beard, the longtime drummer of ZZ Top and a driving force behind the Texas trio’s unmistakable groove, has died at the age of 77. Beard passed away Tuesday while receiving hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, surrounded by his family.
His death was confirmed by publicist Bob Merlis. No cause of death has been announced. Earlier this month, ZZ Top had cancelled performances due to Beard’s ongoing health issues.
Billy Gibbons paid tribute to his longtime friend and bandmate in a statement following the news. Together with bassist Elwood Francis, Gibbons remembered Beard as a close friend and musical partner whose distinctive backbeat had been an essential part of ZZ Top’s sound for decades. Gibbons also indicated that the band intends to continue, as Beard would have wanted.
More Than Five Decades With ZZ Top
Beard joined ZZ Top in 1969 and, together with guitarist and vocalist Billy Gibbons and bassist Dusty Hill, formed one of rock music’s most enduring line-ups.
Emerging from Texas, the trio developed a distinctive blend of blues, boogie and hard-driving rock. Their breakthrough came during the 1970s with albums including ‘Tres Hombres’ and songs such as ‘La Grange’ and ‘Tush’.
ZZ Top reached an even wider audience during the 1980s. The hugely successful Eliminator album combined the band’s blues-rock foundations with a more contemporary production style. Songs including Gimme All Your Lovin’, Sharp Dressed Man and Legs, accompanied by memorable music videos, turned the trio into international rock stars.
At the heart of that sound was Beard’s disciplined, groove-oriented drumming. Together with Hill’s bass playing, he provided the rhythmic foundation for Gibbons’ instantly recognisable guitar work.
A Texas Rock Legacy
Over the course of their career, ZZ Top became one of America’s most recognisable rock bands. In 2004, Gibbons, Hill and Beard were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Following Dusty Hill’s death in 2021, longtime guitar technician Elwood Francis took over bass duties and the band continued touring. Beard remained behind the drums until health problems increasingly forced him to step away from live performances.
With Beard’s passing, Billy Gibbons is now the sole surviving member of ZZ Top’s classic line-up.
Frank Beard was 77.
Photo: Jimmy Steinfeldt