Godspeed Frank Beard of ZZ Top

Frank Beard, the drummer for rock band ZZ Top, died on August 17, 2026, at the age of 77. 

Frank Beard was born on June 11, 1949, in Frankston, Texas. He grew up in Irving, Texas. He met future ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill as teens when their bands were both playing in Fort Worth. He later played with Dusty Hill and Dusty Hill's brother Rocky Hill in the band American Blues. It following the release of ZZ Top's debut single, "Salt Lick," that Frank Beard replaced the band's original drummer, Dan Mitchell. Dusty Hill would replace the band's bassist Lanier Grieg not that long afterwards.

It was not long after Dusty Hill joined ZZ Top that they signed with London Records. Their debut album, ZZ Top's First Album, was released in 1971. Their single "Francine," from their second album Rio Grande Mud, became their first to break the Billboard Hot 100. "Tush," from their fourth album Fandango, went to no. 20 on the chart. For many years, it remained their highest charting single.

ZZ Top would reach the peak of their career years after the classic line-up of Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard came together. Their album Eliminator went to no. 9 on the Billboard album chart in 1984. The album also produced the hit singles "Gimme All Your Lovin,," "Sharp Dressed Man," and "Legs." Their albums continued to perform well throughout the remainder of the Eighties. In all, they released 15 studio albums and four live albums. Their last album was Goin' 50 in 2019. 

ZZ Top is unusual among rock bands in having a very stable lineup for most of its history. The lineup of Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard remained in place for over 50 years. n 2010 Dusty Hill summed up the band's stability to Classic Rock by simply saying, "“It’s a cliché and sounds so simplistic, but it’s down to the three of us genuinely enjoying playing together."

There can be no doubt that much of ZZ Top's success was due to Frank Beard. He had perfect timing and his style tended to minimalist, focusing on the song he was playing at the time rather than percussive pyrotechnics. As a result, his drumming complimented Billy Gibbon's guitar and Dusty Hill's bass perfectly.