Frank Beard, ZZ Top’s Drummer for More Than Five Decades, Dies at 77

KEY POINTS

Beard died Aug. 17 at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, while receiving hospice care and surrounded by family.

His recommendation of Dusty Hill in 1969 helped create ZZ Top’s classic three-member lineup.

Beard’s signature drumming remained central to the band’s sound as ZZ Top built a career spanning more than 50 years.

Frank Lee Beard died Monday, Aug. 17, at his ranch in Richmond, Texas. He was 77 and had been in hospice care, with family members at his side when he passed away.

Beard had been ZZ Top’s drummer since the band’s formation in the late 1960s. His death leaves guitarist Billy Gibbons and Elwood Francis as the remaining touring members of the group, following bassist Dusty Hill’s death in 2021.

The origins of ZZ Top’s classic lineup can be traced directly to Beard. In late 1969, while Gibbons was looking for musicians to complete his group, Beard recommended Hill, whom he had already played with in several Dallas-area bands.

The three musicians first played together at Gibbons’ Houston home. Their initial session lasted roughly three hours, beginning with a blues shuffle in D. That meeting ultimately produced a partnership that would continue for decades.

ZZ Top performed its first show for a paying audience on Feb. 10, 1970, at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Beaumont, Texas. From those early performances, the band developed into one of the most successful American blues-rock acts.

Beard was born June 11, 1949, in Frankston, Texas, and grew up in Irving. He became interested in drums during his teenage years, initially influenced by The Beatles before discovering the blues scene around Dallas.

His early musical experiences included performing with Hill in several groups and backing blues musician Lightnin’ Hopkins at folk venues. Those experiences helped establish the blues foundation that later became an important part of ZZ Top’s musical identity.

Beard also faced addiction and substance abuse during the early portion of his professional career. After ZZ Top took an extended hiatus, he returned sober and continued his career with the band.

Outside music, Beard married Debbie Meredith in 1982. The couple later had twin sons, Rory and Nico, who were born in 1985.

ZZ Top’s commercial success grew substantially over the decades. The band accumulated 11 gold albums, including seven that achieved platinum certification, as well as two platinum video albums.

The group reached another major milestone with its 1983 album Eliminator, which earned Diamond certification for sales exceeding 10 million copies.

During the 1980s, ZZ Top also became closely associated with its distinctive music videos, which helped introduce the band to a much broader MTV audience. Beard viewed those videos as a way for audiences to see the personalities and interests behind the music.

Billy Gibbons described Beard as a close friend and collaborator while emphasizing the drummer’s importance to ZZ Top’s sound. Gibbons specifically credited Beard’s distinctive backbeat as a key element in keeping the band musically recognizable.

Gibbons also said that ZZ Top would continue, reflecting Beard’s reported wish that the band keep performing.

Beard’s death has resulted in the cancellation of ZZ Top performances scheduled for Aug. 18 in Salt Lake City and Aug. 19 in Colorado Springs.

The band is scheduled to resume its The Big One! Tour with two performances at Austin City Limits this weekend. According to the supplied information, Michael Monahan is expected to continue playing drums.

Beard’s career represents an unusually long period of continuity in rock music. He remained behind ZZ Top’s drum kit for more than 50 years while the band evolved from a Texas blues-rock trio into an internationally recognized act.

His role was not limited to performing. Beard’s early connection with Hill helped establish the lineup that became one of the most enduring partnerships in rock history, while his restrained drumming helped anchor the band’s recognizable musical style.