ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard passes away at age 77
Frank Beard, the long-time drummer for ZZ Top, died at 77 while in hospice care on his Texas ranch.
Frank Beard, who served as ZZ Top’s drummer for more than five decades, died at 77 while receiving hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, with family present. The band announced his passing after a sudden cancellation of a Hollywood Bowl concert earlier this week because of his health concerns. Co-founder Billy Gibbons praised Beard as a “great friend and collaborator” and highlighted his signature backbeat that helped keep the band successful.
Beard joined ZZ Top in 1969, replacing Dan Mitchell, and contributed to every album from the 1971 debut through 2012’s “La Futura.” His earlier career included stints with American Blues, the Warlocks, Hustlers and Cellar Dwellers, and he helped bring bassist Dusty Hill into the group. The band plans to carry on, honoring Beard’s wishes to keep the music alive.
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Why it matters
Beard’s death marks the loss of a key figure in a legendary rock band that shaped American music.
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