ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard dies aged 77

The longtime musician died Monday, August 17, at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, after a stay in hospice care, with family members by his side.

The Texas musician spent more than five decades anchoring the trio's blues-rock sound, playing on every ZZ Top studio album and helping turn the band into one of America's most successful rock acts.

Beard, whose beats carried hits like "La Grange" and "Sharp Dressed Man," had stepped back from touring last year after suffering unspecified health issues.

The rock band formed in Texas in 1969 with the classic trio consisting of drummer Beard, lead vocalist Billy Gibbons and bassist Dusty Hill – who died in 2021 aged 72.