Frank Beard, the longtime drummer for ZZ Top, has died at 77. Beard joined the band in 1970 and remained with them for over five decades, appearing on all studio albums from their 1971 debut through 2012’s La Futura. He was forced to miss shows on the band’s current tour earlier this month, including a performance at the Hollywood Bowl.
Born in Frankston, Texas, and raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Beard began playing drums as a teenager after being inspired by the Beatles and the blues music scene. He first met future ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill in Dallas and played with him in several bands throughout the mid-to-late 1960s before the group relocated to Houston. There, Beard joined Billy Gibbons’s new version of ZZ Top in 1970, replacing the original drummer. The classic trio lineup was completed when Hill joined on bass later that year.
Beard was instrumental in ZZ Top’s distinctive sound, mastering the “Texas shuffle” beat that became central to their style of stripped-down blues and rock music. Critics noted his ability to balance precision with looseness, allowing the band’s grooves to swing hard without drifting. The band’s 1973 album Tres Hombres marked their major breakthrough, reaching number 8 in the U.S. and featuring signature songs including “La Grange,” “Jesus Just Left Chicago,” and “Waitin’ for the Bus.”
The band achieved sustained commercial success through the 1980s and 1990s. Their 1983 album Eliminator, which incorporated synthesizers and drum machines, became a number 9 hit in the U.S. and number 3 in the UK, spawning major singles like “Legs,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” and “Sharp Dressed Man.” Subsequent albums including Afterburner, Recycler, and Antenna maintained their commercial momentum with additional hit singles. Their cover of Elvis Presley’s “Viva Las Vegas” reached the UK Top 10.
Beard’s career was interrupted in the late 1970s when he entered rehabilitation following struggles with drug addiction. He had previously spent most of his 1976 touring earnings on substance abuse but successfully addressed the issue and returned to active touring with the band.
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