ZZ Top is mourning the loss of its longtime drummer, Frank Beard, who died Aug. 17 at the age of 77. Beard passed away after a stay in hospice, according to the Fort Bend County Medical Examiner’s Office in Rosenberg, Texas. The cause of death remains unclear, and an autopsy will not be performed.
Billy F. Gibbons, the band’s guitarist, primary songwriter and lead vocalist, shared a tribute to Beard on Instagram. "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," Gibbons wrote. He added that Beard’s "signature backbeat was key to keeping ZZ on top."
The band announced the cancellation of shows scheduled for the week following Beard's death, but plans to resume its Big One! Tour this weekend with two dates at the Moody Theater in Austin, Texas. ZZ Top noted in a social media post that Austin City Limits was "one of Frank’s favorite venues and in a city that had been something of a second home for him."
Beard's death comes weeks after ZZ Top canceled an Aug. 5 show at the Hollywood Bowl just hours before it was scheduled to begin, citing "unforeseen personnel matters" and "insurmountable obstacles." Gibbons stated at the time that the band was counting on fans' understanding for the "brief interruption."
Gibbons, who formed ZZ Top in 1969, is now the last remaining original founding member. Beard joined the band at the suggestion of longtime bassist Dusty Hill. The trio of Gibbons, Beard, and Hill solidified ZZ Top's iconic status and remained together for over 50 years. Hill died in 2021 at the age of 72, and Elwood Francis, the band's longtime guitar tech, stepped in to replace him.