ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard dies at 77

Frank Beard, the drummer of the rock band ZZ Top, has died at the age of 77.

Bob Merlis, the band's manager, confirmed the news to Rolling Stone. Beard died surrounded by his family at a hospice center in Richmond, Texas. The cause of his death has not yet been confirmed.

The band, made up of singer and guitarist Billy Gibbons and bassist Dusty Hill, shared a statement on Instagram announcing his death.

"Today, Elwood and I lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great, true son of Texas. His signature groove was key to keeping ZZ Top on top."

ZZ Top has canceled its concerts in Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs following Beard's death.

“The band will resume their current The Big One! tour this weekend with two dates at Austin City Limits, one of Frank's favorite venues and in a city that had been like a second home to him.”

ZZ Top recently canceled a concert scheduled for August 5 at the Hollywood Bowl due to “insurmountable obstacles.”

The band is currently on tour, with performances scheduled through October.

For his part, Beard announced his departure from the band in March 2025 due to an unspecified “health issue.”

The Texas band informed their fans that Beard would miss the Elevation tour because he needs to undergo a medical procedure.

“Shelter Music Group, the representation agency of the group ZZ Top, announced that Frank Beard has temporarily withdrawn from the current tour to address a health problem that requires his short-term attention,” said a statement published on the band's social networks.

Beard joined the band in 1969 after replacing founder Dan Mitchell on drums, with singer-guitarist Gibbons and bassist Hill completing the lineup.

Along with Beard, they grew their hair long and dyed it blue to match their name.

“In the '60s, having long hair in Texas was risking your life,” Hill told the Dallas Morning News in 2008. “But if we had long blue hair, people just assumed we were crazy and left us alone.”

The band, whose name pays homage in part to Texas blues singer ZZ Hill, played some of its first gigs in diners and lumber mills.

They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and have continued to experiment with their subsequent works, including 2012's La Futura, which was co-produced by the legendary Rick Rubin.

The training has remained practically unchanged for 51 years. Longtime bassist Dusty Hill played with the band from the late 1960s until his death in July 2021. Longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis was announced to play bass, per Hill's wishes.