Frank Beard, ZZ Top Drummer, Dies at 77
Frank Beard, the drummer whose propulsive backbeat anchored the legendary Texas boogie-rock trio ZZ Top for nearly six decades, has died at the age of 77. Beard passed away on August 17 at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, while in hospice care with family members at his side, according to AP News.
His death marks the end of an era for one of rock music’s most enduring bands, leaving guitarist Billy Gibbons as the only surviving original member. Bassist Dusty Hill died in July 2021 at age 72.
A Founding Member of a Legendary Trio
Born Frank Lee Beard on June 11, 1949, in Frankston, Texas, Beard met Gibbons while both played in local bands, including The Moving Sidewalks. He later introduced bassist Dusty Hill, and the trio formed ZZ Top in 1969 in Houston, naming themselves in part after blues singer Z.Z. Hill. Influenced by the British power trio Cream and blues artist Jimmy Reed, their sound was described as a hybrid of rock, blues, and funk—a “steaming-hot Houston stew.” As The Guardian reported, Beard played on all 15 of the band’s studio albums, from 1971’s “ZZ Top’s First Album” to 2012’s “La Futura.”
Gibbons paid tribute to his longtime bandmate in a statement: “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. 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.”
Gibbons had recognized Beard’s talent almost immediately. “It didn’t take 30 minutes, didn’t take 30 seconds,” the guitarist recalled in the band’s 2019 documentary “ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band from Texas.” “I knew that Frank Beard had the kind of chops that I was looking for. He played fiercely, he played with determination.”
The Eliminator Era and MTV Stardom
ZZ Top’s breakthrough came with the 1983 album “Eliminator,” which achieved diamond status with 10 million units sold in the U.S. and spent 187 weeks on the Billboard 200. The album’s video trilogy for “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Legs” became MTV mainstays, featuring models emerging from Gibbons’ custom roadsters. “Legs” hit No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band’s biggest pop success. As Rolling Stone noted in 2021, “ZZ Top reveled in the humor and ridiculousness of it all, busting their synchronized dance moves and spinning their white-fur guitars. These guys always got the joke.”
According to Deadline, ZZ Top sold more than 25 million records in the U.S. alone per the RIAA, with seven albums reaching the Billboard 200’s Top 10. The band earned three Grammy nominations and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, with Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards delivering the induction speech. Richards joked: “These cats know their blues and they know how to dress it up. When I first saw them, I thought, ‘I hope these guys are not on the run, because that disguise is not going to work.’”
The Man Behind the Beat
Despite his surname, Beard was famously the only member of ZZ Top without a long beard. During the band’s extended hiatus in the late 1970s, Gibbons and Hill grew their iconic facial hair while Beard, who went to Jamaica and later got sober, did not. As Ultimate Classic Rock noted, Beard recalled: “I had a beard, but it wasn’t (even) near the beard they had. So I shaved it pretty right after we got back together when I saw they (had much more beard than I had).”
Beard’s drumming was celebrated by fellow musicians. Former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum called him “the backbone of ZZ Top for 57 years with the best shuffle known to man,” while Rage Against the Machine’s Brad Wilk recalled that watching Beard’s two-hand shuffle live “blew his mind,” according to Ultimate Classic Rock’s reactions roundup.
Health Struggles and Final Years
Beard faced various health challenges in his later years. In March 2025, the band announced he would temporarily step away from touring to address foot and ankle problems. He returned in September 2025 but was mostly absent from 2026 performances, with Michael Monahan filling in on drums. ZZ Top canceled its August 5 concert at the Hollywood Bowl due to Beard’s health issues, as TMZ reported.
The Band Continues
Following Beard’s death, ZZ Top announced it would continue as a band. The group canceled shows in Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs but planned to resume its “The Big One!” tour with two dates at Austin City Limits on August 22-23, one of Beard’s favorite venues, according to Ultimate Classic Rock. The tour was scheduled to continue through November 2026 with dates in the U.S., Mexico, Chile, Brazil, and Argentina.
Fellow musicians across the rock world paid tribute to Beard’s influence. Foghat described him as “an incredible drummer and great guy,” while Beard himself once reflected on his career in the band’s documentary: “I’ve found the people I was meant to play with. I never wanted to quit, and never wanted to get fired.”
Beard is survived by his wife, Debbie Meredith, and three children. His death leaves Gibbons as the sole surviving member of the classic ZZ Top lineup that defined boogie-rock for generations of fans worldwide. As Gibbons told CBS Sunday Morning in 2020, “There is no other drummer. There’s one guy.”