Frank Beard, the drummer and a founding member of ZZ Top, has died at the age of 77. The artist was under palliative care at his Texas ranch when he passed away, surrounded by his family. He is the second original member of the band to die, following bassist Dusty Hill in 2021.
“We have lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world has lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great and authentic son of Texas. His distinctive backbeat was key to keeping ZZ Top at the top. The band he helped form for six decades will continue as he would have wished,” stated Billy Gibbons, the band’s guitarist, in a post on social media.
Brad Wilk, drummer of Rage Against the Machine, and Matt Sorum, of Guns N’ Roses, have posted their tributes on social media, with the latter describing Beard as a “very special and unique man behind the drums.”
Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard formed ZZ Top in 1969 and kept their original lineup for more than five decades.
