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ZZ Top Cancels Shows After Frank Beard’s Death

8/19/2026

31 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Frank Beard Dies

Frank Beard, ZZ Top’s drummer, died in hospice care at his Richmond, Texas ranch on Monday.
The band canceled its Aug. 5 Hollywood Bowl concert and shows in Sandy, Utah, and Colorado Springs.
ZZ Top will resume “The Big One!” tour with two Austin City Limits performances, a venue Beard favored.
The Fort Bend County Medical Examiner’s Office said no autopsy will be performed, leaving the cause of death unclear.

Summary

Frank Beard Inducted

ZZ Top and Frank Beard were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
Beard recruited bassist Dusty Hill, completing the band’s classic trio lineup.
He entered rehab in the early 1980s, prompting the band to pause touring for his recovery.
His “Texas shuffle” drumming underpins hits such as “La Grange,” “Tush,” and “Sharp-Dressed Man.”

History

Historical Context

In July 1973 ZZ Top released Tres Hombres, their third studio album, which reached number 8 on the Billboard 200 and produced the hit “La Grange” that peaked at #41 in June 1974. The record’s breakthrough turned the Texas trio—Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard—into a lasting national act. Decades later, Beard’s death marks the loss of the only original member still performing.

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Frank Beard Dies

Frank Beard, ZZ Top’s drummer, died in hospice care at his Richmond, Texas ranch on Monday.
The band canceled its Aug. 5 Hollywood Bowl concert and shows in Sandy, Utah, and Colorado Springs.
ZZ Top will resume “The Big One!” tour with two Austin City Limits performances, a venue Beard favored.
The Fort Bend County Medical Examiner’s Office said no autopsy will be performed, leaving the cause of death unclear.

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