Frank Beard, Legendary ZZ Top Drummer, Dies at 77
The co-founder and longtime drummer of the iconic Texas rock band passed away at 77 (or 78, according to some sources) at his ranch in Richmond, surrounded by family.
The co-founder and longtime drummer of the iconic Texas rock band passed away at 77 (or 78, according to some sources) at his ranch in Richmond, surrounded by family.
Frank Beard, drummer and co-founder of the iconic rock band ZZ Top, passed away on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. The news was confirmed by longtime band representative Bob Merlis, stating that Beard died in hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, surrounded by family. The exact cause of death was not disclosed.
Sources disagree on his age: Deadline and Variety report he was 77, while 24sata states he passed away at 78. He was born on June 11, 1949, in Frankston, Texas, and grew up in Irving. Beard was known as the "bearded drummer without a beard" in a band where all members sported long beards.
Although technically not a founding member, Beard was ZZ Top's longtime and defining drummer. He joined the group in 1969, replacing Dan Mitchell, and helped bring bassist Dusty Hill from the band American Blues. He played with the band from their debut album "First Album" in 1971 all the way to their last, "La Futura" in 2012, totaling 56 years of career.
Under the guidance of manager and producer Bill Ham, ZZ Top spent their early years playing constantly. Beard told Rolling Stone in 1984 how Ham cleverly booked them on tours with bands on the verge of breaking up: "When we were second on the bill, he'd always get us on a tour with a band that was finished, about to break up and just doing the tour for the money. And we'd come out and just blow them off the stage. That's how we did Mott the Hoople, Alice Cooper, Deep Purple."
After the album "Tejas" in 1976, ZZ Top took a brief hiatus, partly for Beard to recover from addiction. In the 2019 documentary "ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas," he spoke openly about his drug problems: "All the money I blew, that's the regret. I sold my original Ludwig kit to buy drugs. The relationships I destroyed... Deep down, I knew I had to quit heroin. I had to quit cocaine. I tried everything and couldn't go on."
The band returned in 1979 with "Degüello," which reached No. 24 on the Billboard 200, kicking off a commercial peak through the '80s and early '90s. During that period, they released multi-platinum albums "Eliminator" (1983), "Afterburner" (1985), and "Recycler" (1990), along with hits like "Legs" and "Sleeping Bag." ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
Beard faced serious health problems over the years. In 2002, he missed several concerts due to an emergency appendectomy, and in 2025, he temporarily withdrew from touring for unspecified health reasons. In August 2026, ZZ Top abruptly canceled a performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, citing "insurmountable obstacles"; it was later revealed that Beard's health was the cause, though details were not released.
The band also canceled a concert in Salt Lake City on August 18 and a performance in Colorado Springs on August 19. The tour will resume this weekend in Austin. Beard is survived by his wife Debbie, with whom he had twins, and a daughter from a previous marriage.
Billy Gibbons, ZZ Top's co-founder, bid farewell to his friend with these words: "Today, Elwood [Francis] and I lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great and true son of Texas. His distinctive rhythm was crucial in keeping ZZ at the top. The band he was part of for six decades will carry on as he would have wanted."
In the same documentary, Beard said: "I'd say I found the people I want to play with. And I did that at a very early age. I'm still happy with them. I'm happy with Dusty, and I'm happy with Billy." He added: "With these two guys, I never wanted to quit, and I never wanted to be fired."
