Frank Beard, ZZ Top's beardless drummer, dies at 77

Frank Beard, the longtime drummer of ZZ Top and a member of the celebrated Texas rock trio for more than half a century, has died aged 77, the band announced on Tuesday.

ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard dies at 77

Beard died on Monday, according to the announcement shared by bandmate Billy Gibbons on social media. The cause of death was not immediately disclosed in the initial announcement. Reuters reported that Beard died in hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, surrounded by family.

ZZ Top singer Billy said, "Today, Elwood [Francis] and I lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great and true son of Texas. “His signature backbeat was key to keeping ZZ on top. The band of which he was part for six decades is going to keep on keeping on as he had wished.”

More about Beard and ZZ Top

Beard's career was closely intertwined with the history of ZZ Top, which he joined in 1969 alongside Gibbons and bassist Dusty Hill. The three musicians went on to form one of the most recognisable line-ups in American rock, maintaining their partnership for more than five decades until Hill's death in 2021.

Although Gibbons and Hill became famous for their long beards, sunglasses and distinctive stage personas, Beard was famously clean-shaven. His contribution to the group, however, was fundamental to its sound. His tight, understated drumming supplied the rhythmic foundation beneath Gibbons' guitar and Hill's bass, helping ZZ Top develop its trademark combination of blues, boogie and hard rock.

The band initially built its reputation through relentless touring in Texas before finding wider success with albums including Tres Hombres, released in 1973. The record contained "La Grange", one of the band's signature songs, and helped establish ZZ Top beyond its regional following.

The group's biggest commercial breakthrough came in the 1980s. Eliminator, released in 1983, brought synthesised textures and drum-machine elements into the band's blues-rock formula and produced enduring hits including "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Legs".

Its distinctive music videos, featuring the band's trademark imagery and the famous Eliminator car, made ZZ Top a major presence on MTV. The album eventually achieved diamond status in the US.

ZZ Top's career extended well beyond its commercial peak. The group continued recording and touring across subsequent decades, releasing albums such as Recycler, Antenna, Rhythmeen and La Futura. In 2004, Beard, Gibbons and Hill were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, recognising the band's enduring influence on rock music.

Beard's death marks the loss of the final member of ZZ Top's classic trio following Hill's death in 2021.

Gibbons has indicated that ZZ Top intends to continue performing, in keeping with Beard's wishes, with the band scheduled to resume its current touring commitments after cancelling performances following his death.

For more than 50 years, Beard's playing remained at the centre of ZZ Top's distinctive sound, leaving a legacy that extends from Texas blues clubs to international arenas and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.