ZZ Top: Rock’s Most Famous Beards and the One Guy Who Didn’t Have One
Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill grew beards down to their chests. The drummer's last name was actually Beard, and he was the only one who never wore his long.
ZZ Top formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969. For five decades it was always the same trio: Billy Gibbons on guitar and vocals, Dusty Hill on bass and Frank Beard on drums.
In the ’70s they made a name for themselves with their Texas blues rock and albums like Tres Hombres and Fandango!. Songs like “La Grange” and “Tush” became staples of classic rock radio.
Toward the end of that decade, Gibbons and Hill changed their look: dark shades, hats and matching chest-length beards. Ever since, they’ve been some of the most recognizable silhouettes in music.
The ’80s brought the big leap. The 1983 album Eliminator added synthesizers to their sound, and its music videos took over MTV: “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs,” with that famous red car. ZZ Top became a worldwide star.
The lineup didn’t change for more than fifty years, until the losses came. Dusty Hill died in 2021, and Gibbons carried on with Elwood Francis, the band’s guitar tech for decades. In August 2026, Frank Beard died at 77.
Billy Gibbons decided to keep going. Today he tours with Francis on bass and Michael Monahan on drums, and this tour brings him back to South America for the first time in 16 years.
On November 16 they play the Teatro Caupolicán, a more intimate venue than the stadiums they usually play. A great chance to see the last bearded legend from Texas up close.
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