Frank Beard, Drummer of ZZ Top, Dies at 77

Frank Beard, the drummer of the Texas boogie rock trio ZZ Top, passed away at the age of 77. He was known for setting the rhythm of the band’s biggest hits like “Sharp Dressed Man”, “Legs”, and “Gimme All Your Lovin’”. Beard passed away on Tuesday at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, surrounded by family, according to his publicist Bob Merlis.

Billy Gibbons, the band’s co-founder and guitarist, who is currently touring with bassist Elwood Francis, paid tribute to Beard in a statement. “Today, Elwood and I lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great, true son of Texas. His characteristic backbeat was key to keeping ZZ Top at the top. The band he was part of for six decades will continue, as he had wished,” Gibbons said.

ZZ Top has sold more than 50 million records and had six singles reach number 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. Seven of their albums made it to the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 and they received three Grammy nominations.

In the 2019 documentary “ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band from Texas,” Beard expressed his sentiments about the band, saying, “I found the people I was meant to play with. I never wanted to quit and never wanted to be fired.”