The legendary rhythmic backbone of ZZ Top has passed away. Frank Beard, who powered the boogie-rock trio’s distinctive sound since 1969, died Tuesday at 77 while in hospice care at his Richmond, Texas ranch, surrounded by family members, according to publicist Bob Merlis.
Beard came into the world on June 11, 1949, in the East Texas town of Frankston before his family moved to Irving, where he spent his formative years. There, Beard initially played with bassist and vocalist Dusty Hill in various groups across the Texas music scene. He later became part of The Moving Sidewalks alongside guitarist Billy Gibbons. As the 1960s drew to a close, Beard recommended that Gibbons bring Hill in for an audition, a suggestion that would forge one of rock’s most enduring partnerships.
The resulting band took its name partly from blues artist Z.Z. Hill, while modeling its approach after British power trio Cream and Chicago blues master Jimmy Reed. That original three-man configuration lasted more than 50 years without change until Hill’s 2021 death.
Staying Power and Commercial Success
Beard and his bandmates achieved massive commercial success, selling over 50 million albums globally. The group notched six No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart and placed seven albums in the Billboard 200’s top 10. Three Grammy nominations followed.
Their 1983 release “Eliminator” became a cultural juggernaut, moving approximately 10 million copies on the strength of MTV staples “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs,” and “Gimme All Your Lovin’.” Earlier signature tracks included “La Grange” — a blues celebration of the Chicken Ranch bordello near La Grange, Texas, which operated for nearly 70 years before shutting down in 1973 — along with “Tush,” cementing the band’s status among America’s most recognizable rock acts.
When Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards brought ZZ Top to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame stage in 2004, he joked that ZZ Top grasped the blues and understood how to make it flashy, noting that their bearded appearance would make poor cover for wanted criminals.
The Clean-Shaven Drummer in a Bearded Band
Ironically, Beard remained the sole member who rarely sported facial hair, typically appearing clean-shaven or with just a mustache while Gibbons and Hill cultivated their famous bushy beards beneath dark sunglasses. That visual trademark emerged organically during a three-year hiatus beginning in 1976, when the musicians traveled separately — Beard to Jamaica, Hill to Mexico, and Gibbons to France. Gibbons and Hill grew out their beards during this period, creating an image that endured once they regrouped.
The group’s live shows from that era featured elaborate staging, including a Texas-shaped platform, live rattlesnakes, and a longhorn steer, spectacle befitting the larger-than-life mythology they cultivated.
During the late 1970s, Beard underwent rehabilitation for substance abuse while the band faced uncertainty. Gibbons maintained at the time that he wouldn’t contemplate finding another drummer, declaring there was only one who belonged behind ZZ Top’s kit.
Tributes and Moving Forward
Guitarist and co-founder Billy Gibbons, currently touring with bassist Elwood Francis, released a public tribute expressing grief over losing a cherished friend and longtime collaborator. Gibbons said Beard was an exceptionally inventive drummer and proud Texan.
Two upcoming performances in Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs were canceled following Beard’s death, though the tour is scheduled to resume this weekend with performances at the Austin City Limits festival, a venue the band called one of Beard’s most beloved in a city he considered a second home.
This represents the second loss of a founding member in recent years. Hill passed away in 2021 and, following his own wishes, was succeeded by Elwood Francis, Hill’s bass tech for many years, who continues to perform with the band. The ensemble performed together on November 2, 2025, at a California show in Alpine.
Fellow drummers took to social media to honor his memory. Rage Against the Machine drummer Brad Wilk remembered watching Beard’s two-hand shuffle during a high school concert and being completely amazed by the performance. Former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum described Beard as “a very special and unique man behind the kit.”
The band’s music permeated American pop culture far beyond concert halls, with their songs featured in films ranging from “Dazed and Confused” to “Armageddon” to “I, Tonya.” In the 2019 documentary “ZZ Top” (full title: “ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band from Texas”), Beard reflected on what the group represented to him: “I’ve found the people I was meant to play with. I never wanted to quit, and never wanted to get fired.”
Gibbons pledged the band would continue as Beard desired, carrying forward a six-decade legacy now entrusted to the two remaining members.