ZZ Top drummer, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Frank Beard dies at age 77 in Texas home

Frank Beard, drummer for ZZ Top, died at age 77 in hospice care at his Texas ranch. The band announced his death on Tuesday, with family at his side. Cause of death not disclosed. Beard was part of the trio with Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill for 56 years. ZZ Top canceled shows in Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs but will perform in Austin this weekend.

Frank Beard, the longtime drummer for the rock group ZZ Top, has died at the age of 77. The band announced his death on Tuesday, stating he passed away in hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, with family members at his side. The cause of death was not disclosed. Beard was the drummer for ZZ Top for 56 years, known for hits such as "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Legs." The trio of Beard, guitarist Billy Gibbons, and bassist Dusty Hill was among the most enduring lineups in music history, playing together from 1970 until Hill's death in 2021, when Elwood Francis joined the group. Gibbons paid tribute, calling Beard "a great friend and collaborator" and "one of the most naturally innovative drummers." The band canceled Tuesday's show in Salt Lake City and Wednesday's performance in Colorado Springs but will return to the stage in Austin, Texas, this weekend. ZZ Top gained fame in the 1980s through MTV and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.