ZZ Top Drummer Frank Beard Dies at 77 in Richmond, Texas

Frank Beard, the longtime drummer for Texas rock legends ZZ Top, has died at 77.

Beard died at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, while receiving hospice care, according to reports from The Associated Press and the Houston Chronicle. His death marks another major loss for one of the most recognizable bands to come out of the Houston music scene.

A Texas rock legend

Beard joined Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill in the lineup that made ZZ Top famous. The group came together in Houston around the turn of the 1970s and built a sound rooted in blues, boogie and hard rock.

Behind the kit, Beard supplied the steady groove underneath songs that became rock-radio staples, including “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’” and “Legs.” The band’s 1983 album Eliminator helped turn ZZ Top into MTV-era superstars while keeping the group’s Texas identity front and center.

More than five decades with ZZ Top

Beard spent more than five decades with the band. ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 after building a career that stretched across generations of rock fans.

His death follows the 2021 death of bassist Dusty Hill. Billy Gibbons is now the last surviving member of the classic trio. Following Beard’s death, Gibbons indicated that ZZ Top intends to keep performing in his honor.

Houston roots that never disappeared

For Houston and Texas music fans, Beard’s death hits especially close to home. ZZ Top grew from the Houston-area music scene into an internationally recognized rock band without losing the unmistakable Texas character that became part of its identity.

Beard’s drumming was a huge part of that sound — direct, tight and built around the groove rather than flash. That approach helped give ZZ Top records their instantly recognizable feel.

Sources: The Associated Press and Houston Chronicle.