ZZ Top Drummer Frank Beard Dies at Age 77

Frank Beard, the drummer who anchored ZZ Top for more than 50 years, died on August 17, 2026, at the age of 77. He passed away at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, while receiving hospice care with relatives at his bedside.

The Fort Bend County Medical Examiner had not released a cause of death as of the initial report on his passing. His death means Billy Gibbons is now the only remaining member of ZZ Top’s original, longtime lineup.

• Beard joined ZZ Top in 1969, roughly a year after Billy Gibbons put the band together out of his previous group, the Moving Sidewalks.
• He appeared on every one of ZZ Top’s 15 studio albums, spanning 1971’s “ZZ Top’s First Album” through 2012’s “La Futura.”
• ZZ Top entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
• Bassist Dusty Hill, the third member of the band’s classic trio, died in July 2021 and was succeeded on stage by longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis.

Billy Gibbons Remembers Frank Beard

Gibbons, who founded ZZ Top, released a statement mourning his bandmate of six decades. “Today, Elwood 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 said. “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.”

Frank Beard’s Health Struggles Before His Death

Beard’s health had already forced him off the road in the months leading up to his death. In March 2025, the band announced he was withdrawing from its North American tour to address health problems that were not specified at the time, with tech-team member John Douglas stepping in behind the kit.

Beard rejoined ZZ Top that September, but he was reportedly missing from every one of the band’s 2026 tour stops, with drummer Michael Monahan taking his place. Ongoing health concerns also led the band to scrap its August 5 concert at the Hollywood Bowl, a cancellation Gibbons attributed at the time to “insurmountable obstacles.”

ZZ Top’s Tour Plans Following Beard’s Death

In the immediate aftermath of Beard’s death, ZZ Top called off scheduled shows in Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs. The band intends to get back on stage the same weekend for a pair of performances at Austin City Limits, a venue described as one of Beard’s favorites.

Frank Beard’s Role in Building ZZ Top

Beard is credited with helping bring bassist Dusty Hill into the fold from Hill’s former band, American Blues, a move that cemented the three-piece lineup that would remain together for more than five decades. Across that run, Beard’s drumming underpinned some of the band’s signature songs, including “La Grange,” “Tush,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs” and “Heard It on the X.”

More Info

• Frank Beard, Drummer for ZZ Top, Dies at 77 | ultimateclassicrock.com
• ZZ Top Drummer Frank Beard Dead at 77 | TMZ Music