Legendary drummer of the American rock band ZZ Top, Frank Beard, has died at the age of 77. The musician passed away on August 17 at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, surrounded by family, reports infohub.kz.
Beard's death was announced by a representative of the band. He had been with ZZ Top since 1969 and played on all of the group's key albums. Over a career spanning more than five decades, Beard became an integral part of the band's signature sound.
ZZ Top frontman and vocalist Billy Gibbons paid tribute, calling Beard a loyal friend, an outstanding innovator, and an essential part of the band's sound. According to Gibbons, the band will continue performing, as Beard would have wanted.
Earlier, due to the musician's health issues, the band had canceled several concerts on their summer tour. In 2004, Beard, along with his ZZ Top bandmates, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is the second member of the classic lineup to pass away, following bassist Dusty Hill in 2021.
An interesting fact about Beard's biography was that, despite his surname (Beard translates to "beard" in English), he was for a long time the only member of ZZ Top who did not sport a long beard.