Frank Beard, ZZ Top drummer, dies at 77
Cue Writer
Frank Beard, the drummer whose steady pulse anchored ZZ Top for more than five decades, has died at 77. Publicist Bob Merlis told the Associated Press that Beard died Tuesday in hospice care at his Richmond, Texas, ranch, with relatives nearby.
Beard joined Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill in the Texas trio that became ZZ Top in 1969. The band carried its blues-rooted sound into rock radio with songs including “La Grange,” “Tush,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs.”
Gibbons said the band will continue touring with bassist Elwood Francis, following Beard’s wishes. Beard had stepped away from touring in 2025 while dealing with foot and ankle problems, and ZZ Top later canceled an Aug. 5 Hollywood Bowl date because of his health, according to the AP.
ZZ Top sold more than 50 million records, placed seven albums in the Billboard 200 top 10 and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. Beard is survived by his wife, Debbie Meredith, and three children.
Source: Associated Press, Aug. 18, 2026