Longtime ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard has died at 77, the band said in a statement on their official website. According to the band, he passed away on Monday in hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, with family members present. The cause of death was not specified.

Impact on Upcoming Tour Dates

Beard’s death has necessitated the cancellation of ZZ Top’s tour dates scheduled for this week in Utah and Colorado, the band announced. The shows had been set for Salt Lake City, Utah, on Monday and Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Wednesday. The group said it plans to resume its current The Big One! Tour over the weekend, with two dates at Austin City Limits, a venue the band noted was one of Beard’s favorites in “a city that had been something of a second home for him.”

Legacy and Career Highlights

ZZ Top was founded in 1969 and performed their first live concert the following year. The band has released 15 studio and four live albums, with hit singles like “Gimme All Your Lovin'”, “Sleeping Bag”, and “Viva Las Vegas.” The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and has continued touring across North America, Europe, and South America.

Frank Beard’s contributions to the band were significant. As the band’s rhythmic force on drums, he anchored hits such as “La Grange”, “Tush”, and “Cheap Sunglasses,” according to Rolling Stone. Beard was known as The Man With No Beard, despite his surname — because he was the only member of the Houston ensemble who did not sport the lengthy facial hair the band became known for.

ZZ Top’s 1984 album Eliminator featured the hits “Gimme All Your Lovin'”, “Sharp Dressed Man”, and “Legs.” The album sold more than 10 million copies and was certified diamond by The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1996. It also earned a Grammy Award nomination. In 1987, the group received another Grammy nod from the Recording Academy for their Afterburner album. In 2021, the group was also nominated for best music film for Sam Dunn’s documentary That Little Ol’ Band From Texas.

Honoring a Music Legend

Bandmate Billy Gibbons expressed his grief in a statement, saying, “Today, Elwood and I lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world lost one of the most naturally fresh drummers and a great and true son of Texas.” He added, “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.”

Beard’s passing marks the end of an era for ZZ Top. His contributions, both musically and culturally, have left a lasting impression on the band and its fans. As the band moves forward with their tour, they honor the legacy of a musician who played a key role in shaping the sound of one of rock music’s most enduring acts.