Legendary drummer Frank Beard died at 77. He was the drummer of the beloved rock group ZZ Top and part of its original lineup alongside Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill.
He remained with the band for over five decades. ZZ Top was known for its Texas blues and rock sound after forming in 1969. They became famous for songs like “La Grange,” “Tush,” “Gimme All Your Lovin,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Legs.”
Keep reading to learn more about Frank Beard.
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1. Frank Beard was the longtime dummer of ZZ Top
Frank Lee Beard was an accomplished drummer best known for being a core member of the band ZZ Top. He was born in Frankston, Texas, on June 11, 1949 and died at the age of 77 on August 17, 2026.
He started his drumming career as a teenager, playing with several bands before he eventually joined ZZ Top. Frank was part of a band called Outlaws with Dusty Hill, who also later became a member of ZZ Top.
Later, Frank met the band’s co-founder guitarist Billy Gibbons and introduced Dusty, who had already been in a few bands with Frank by that time. The trio formed ZZ Top in 1969, per AP News, and named themselves after the blues singer Z.Z. Hill.
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2. He helped ZZ Top create their signature sound
Some of their most popular songs included “Gimme All Your Lovin,” “Legs,” “Sleeping Bag,” and more. Many notable movies featured their songs, like Armageddon, From Dusk Till Dawn, Dazed and Confused, and I, Tonya, among others.
Their sound stemmed from a combination of Frank and Dusty‘s rhythmic abilities and Billy‘s blues style.
3. ZZ Top became a huge deal in the 1980s
AP News notes that the band blew up significantly in 1973 with the release of their song “La Grange” off their album “Tres Hombres.” The song paid homage to the brothel called Chicken Ranch, which was located outside of La Grange, Texas and operated from 1905 until 1973.
But they really got a significant boost in popularity from MTV in the 1980s when their music videos were being played and they established a look that blended their style of beards, hats, and sunglasses with their signature humor.
“These guys always got the joke, at a time when other bands were still just nervously lip-syncing in front of brick walls,” Rolling Stone said of the group in 2021.
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4. Frank Beard was famous for not having a beard
Despite what is surname and bandmates might have had you believe, Frank actually became famous for almost never having a beard.
One of ZZ Top’s trademarks was the fact the groups had a beard, and just Frank was the one who had a mustache and no beard.
Billy previously talked about how the group took a hiatus in 1976 and when they reunited, Billy and Dusty had grown out long beards that would become essential to their band’s image.
“Although we were speaking by phone, this was pre-video phone. And Dusty and I did not know that we had gotten so lazy that we had decided to forget to shave,” Billy said in 2010 (via Newsweek). “So after three years we returned and showed up, and lo and behold here was this sort of wacky-looking image. And it just kind of stuck with us.”
5. His legacy with ZZ Top
Frank spent more than five decades with ZZ Top that included 15 studio albums, an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, a long-lasting partnership with Dusty and Billy, and an unforgettable role in several iconic classic rock songs.
He died at the age of 77 after being in hospice care at his Texas ranch. His cause of death was not immediately disclosed, but ZZ Top canceled upcoming shows following his death, adding that they do intend to continue performing, as Frank wanted.
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