ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard dies aged 77

Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Tributes paid to great friend and collaborator' who played with band for 56 years and died in hospice care in Texas

Posted by Corky at 07:30 PM | 12 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

A spokesperson for the band confirmed that Beard died on 17 August in hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas. His family were by his side.

In a statement, ZZ Top singer Billy Gibbons said: "Today, Elwood [Francis] 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."

Last week, the band cancelled a show at the Hollywood Bowl owing to Beard's health. ZZ Top will also no longer play their Tuesday concert in Salt Lake City or Wednesday in Colorado Springs.

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"In public, Beard consistently adopted a humble attitude towards his success. When ZZ Top were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, he said: "All I have to say is that most of my life has been a pleasant surprise, and so is this. Thank you."

Obligatory:

www.youtube.com

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-18 07:34 PM | Reply

"During the Vietnam War draft, band members Tom Moore (keyboardist) and Don Summers (bass player) received low draft numbers and had to leave the group for military service.

Formation of the Trio: This disruption forced Gibbons to start fresh, eventually teaming up with Frank Beard and Dusty Hill to form ZZ Top." (AI)

;;
I remember hearing friends of those two members at the time talk about them being drafted... which was disturbing news for all kinds of reasons; them having to leave the band, and most of the rest of us possibly being next.

RIP Frank.

#2 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-18 07:40 PM | Reply

Flashback
Watch ZZ Top Perform Tush' at Band's Final Concert With Original Lineup
This July 18, 2021, gig in Louisville, Kentucky, marked the end of one of the single most enduring lineups in rock history

By Andy Greene

August 18, 2026

www.rollingstone.com

#3 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-18 08:05 PM | Reply

I saw them in Memphis when I was in "A" school in Millington TN. With Lynyrd Skynyrd, Blue Oyster cult and The Outlaws. 7/4/76

RIP Frank

#4 | Posted by willowby at 2026-08-18 08:24 PM | Reply

I seen ZZ Top open fer Deep Purple at the Omni in Atl in 1973.

It was loud AF.

Frank was good.

RIP.

#5 | Posted by Angrydad at 2026-08-18 09:21 PM | Reply

RIP Frank Beard. Really one of the best bands of the era.

When you ask people what are the best bands they saw live, if they saw ZZ Top, it's in the Pantheon.

#6 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-18 10:18 PM | Reply

The Vietnam War affected so many American musicians, bands, performers, and athletes in the 1960s as this story illustrates, unlike our luckier British, Canadian, Australian, and NZ counterparts.

The US created another "Lost Generation," like the First World War, and who knows how much talent we lost in a useless war in SE Asia.

I think ace pitcher Tommy John recently died at the same age of 77 and yet Dummkopf Trumpf is still with us at 80.

Remarkable.

RIP Frank Beard.

#7 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-08-19 02:44 AM | Reply

"I think ace pitcher Tommy John recently died at the same age of 77"

Tommy John was 83.

Keeping with tradition, it'll be about two years until he's ready to pitch again.

#8 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-19 02:55 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

Too soon?

#9 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-19 02:55 AM | Reply

Oh, Tommy John was 83.

Thanks for the clarification, Danforth, you are the math and numbers guru on drudge.com for a reason.

#10 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-08-19 03:22 AM | Reply

RIP to Mr Beard and Tommy John.

I remember seeing Tommy Jonn pitch against my fledgling Mariners in 1979 who were no good but always seem to play the Yankees well.

The Mariners for some reason scored nine runs in the first inning. Tommy Jonn lasted about a third inning and the Mariners end up winning 16 to one. This was as I was a 10 year-old kid.

#11 | Posted by a_monson at 2026-08-19 10:32 AM | Reply

Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell
www.youtube.com

My buddy had their first two records, causing me to get Tres Hombres when it was released.
Got myself a third row center seat for the tour and a couple of purple microdots.
Top had a mylar backdrop and some squid 5 rows behind me had a flash camera. Reflected camera flash into seriously dilated pupils sux.
The band did not.

'77, they played Allen Fieldhouse at the tail end of the big TX Tour. No livestock, fortunately. I was a student volunteer roadie for the evening. We were to get a 12" sub sandwich and a STAGE HAND tour shirt(which I still have tucked away). End of the evening, their stage manager slipped us all a $20. Word was that it was from Billy. Been waiting 50 years to thank him for that.

Saw them a couple of times since, but nothing beats the first time. Just them, playing their butts off.

Just Got Paid
www.youtube.com

The stick work. Let the air drumming begin...
www.youtube.com

#12 | Posted by morris at 2026-08-19 02:11 PM | Reply