Longtime ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard, known as The Man With No Beard, has died at age 77, the band announced Monday.
Beard’s passing was confirmed by the group’s official statement, which said he died in hospice care on his ranch in Richmond, Texas, surrounded by family. No cause of death was disclosed.
The news came as the band’s tour planned for this week was cut short. Scheduled shows in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Colorado Springs, Colorado, were cancelled.
ZZ Top, formed in 1969, has released 15 studio and four live albums over more than five decades. Fans remember hits such as Gimme All Your Lovin, La Grange, and Cheap Sunglasses, all driven by Beard’s steady backbeat.
Band founder Billy Gibbons and former bassist Dusty Hill have both expressed heartfelt grief. Gibbons said the loss of a great friend and collaborator “the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers.”
While mourning his loss, the band plans to resume the remaining dates of the Big One! Tour on the weekend, including two shows at Austin City Limits, a venue that was one of Beard’s favorites.
