Frank Beard, the longtime ZZ Top drummer, has died at 77.
Beard died Monday, August 17, while receiving hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, surrounded by his family.
The band’s representative, Bob Merlis, confirmed his death in a statement, but his exact cause of death has not been disclosed. (via Entertainment Weekly).
His death follows a prolonged battle with health problems that forced him to step away from several performances.
ZZ Top canceled its Tuesday show in Salt Lake City and Wednesday concert in Colorado Springs following the devastating news, but they plan to resume their tour this weekend in Austin.
How Frank Beard helped ZZ Top become legends in rock
Before ZZ Top formed, Beard and Dusty Hill crossed paths while playing in several groups. The two eventually joined forces with guitarist Billy Gibbons, forming the trio that would become one of rock’s most recognizable bands.
ZZ Top released its debut album in 1971, but the group’s breakthrough came with its third studio album, Tres Hombres, in 1973.
The band went on to produce hits including “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs” and “Sleeping Bag,” helping ZZ Top achieve international fame. The trio sold more than 50 million albums worldwide and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
In 2018, ZZ Top earned a Guinness World Record for the longest-running band with no lineup changes.
Beard’s drumming became a defining part of the band’s sound. His steady backbeat and Texas shuffle helped drive songs including “La Grange,” “Tush” and “Cheap Sunglasses” throughout ZZ Top’s decades-long career.
Frank Beard faced personal battles and health problems away from the stage
Beard largely contributed to ZZ Top’s success, but rarely spoke about the struggles he endured away from the spotlight.
In the 1970s, he took a break from the band to get sober and later spoke publicly about his struggles with drug addiction.
“All the money I pissed off, that’s a regret,” Beard said in the 2019 documentary ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band from Texas. “I sold my original Ludwig kit to buy drugs with it. Relationships I fucked up … In the back of my mind, I knew I needed to kick heroin. I needed to stop doing cocaine. I had done it all and I couldn’t go any further.”
Beard underwent an emergency appendectomy in 2002 that caused him to miss several shows. He also stepped away from touring in 2025 because of unspecified health concerns, according to Rolling Stone.
Earlier this month, ZZ Top canceled a performance at the Hollywood Bowl after Beard’s health created “insurmountable obstacles,” though the band did not provide additional details at the time.
Despite those challenges, Beard remained committed to his bandmates until the end.
Reflecting on his extraordinary run with ZZ Top in the documentary, Beard said, “I would say, for me, I have found the people that I want to play with. And I was able to do that at a very early age.”
He added that he remained satisfied with his longtime musical partnership with Hill and Gibbons.