Frank Beard dies at 77 after spending 56 years as drummer for ZZ Top, the band’s publicist announced Tuesday.
The publicist said Beard died while receiving hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas. Family members were with him. No cause of death was announced.
Meanwhile, ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons paid tribute online. He called Beard a close friend and praised the drummer’s distinctive backbeat.
Beard joined Gibbons in 1969 before ZZ Top settled into its classic trio with bassist Dusty Hill. The group released its debut, “ZZ Top’s First Album,” in 1971.
Later, Beard played on hits including “La Grange,” “Tush,” “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Gimme All Your Lovin’.” The band released 15 studio albums during his tenure.
ZZ Top’s 1983 album “Eliminator” sold more than 10 million copies in the United States. The group also entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
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Beard had stepped away from touring in March 2025 because of an unspecified health issue. His wife, Debbie Meredith, and their three children survive him.
Following Dusty Hill’s death in 2021, Gibbons is now the sole surviving member of ZZ Top’s classic trio.
