Frank Beard, the longtime drummer for legendary rock band ZZ Top, has died at 77.
According to the Fort Bend County Medical Examiner, Beard died August 17 at his Texas ranch with family by his side following a stay in hospice. A cause of death has not been disclosed.
ZZ Top founder Billy F. Gibbons mourned his longtime bandmate and friend in a statement, saying, “Today, Elwood 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.”
Gibbons also credited Beard’s playing with helping define the band’s sound, saying his “signature backbeat was key to keeping ZZ on top.” He added that ZZ Top, the band Beard had been part of for six decades, would continue performing as Beard had wished.
Beard’s health had already forced ZZ Top to make changes to its schedule. The band canceled its August 5 performance at the Hollywood Bowl, while Beard had also been absent from recent shows, with drummer Michael Monahan filling in behind the kit.
Following Beard’s death, ZZ Top canceled its scheduled show in Salt Lake City on Wednesday and its Colorado Springs performance on Thursday. The band is expected to resume this weekend with two dates at Austin City Limits, one of Beard’s favorite venues.
The drummer’s absence had been noticeable in the band’s final performances before his death. ZZ Top performed without him in Saratoga, California, just days before news of his death emerged.
Beard joined ZZ Top in 1969, becoming a central part of the group alongside Gibbons and bassist Dusty Hill. Together, the classic lineup helped turn ZZ Top into one of rock’s most recognizable acts.
Beard played on all 15 of ZZ Top’s studio albums and powered the rhythm behind some of the band’s biggest songs, including “La Grange,” “Tush,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs.”
ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. The band’s classic lineup remained together until Hill died in 2021.
Now, after more than five decades behind the kit, Beard’s unmistakable role in ZZ Top’s sound has come to an end. The band will continue — just as Gibbons said Beard wanted — but its legendary lineup has lost another defining member.
