It was, perhaps unsurprisingly, an unsentimental show. Although ZZ Top did not explicitly address Beard's death, singer-guitarist and lone surviving classic member Billy Gibbons did mention their "dear drummer" while introducing his replacement, Michael Monahan.
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"I guess some of you probably know there's a new man in town," Gibbons told the audience after the band's opening song, "Got Me Under Pressure." "In fact, it all started a little while back. Elwood [Francis, bassist] and I got an unexpected call from our dear Frank Beard, our dear drummer for 50 years. I've never heard him admit, he said, 'My bass drum foot's a little weak. Can you get my man to take over?' I said, 'Oh yeah, yeah, he's been doing pretty good.' Frank said, 'Yeah, that's what worries me.'"
Gibbons emphasized this was not the time for tears or maudlin reminiscences. (He did, however, salute his "great friend and collaborator" in a statement on Tuesday.) "We're all here for a celebration," he said to a wave of applause. "So y'all have a good time!"
Band founder and lead singer Billy Gibbons confirmed his bandmate’s death on Instagram on Tuesday (AUG18), shortly after Beard’s death in hospice on Monday. The band had previously canceled a performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles scheduled for Aug. 5, citing Beard’s health issues.
“Today, Elwood and I lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great and true son of Texas,” Gibbons shared. “His signature backbeat was key to keeping ZZ on top.”
Beard drummed for the band for nearly 60 years and contributed to some of their biggest songs, such as “La Grange,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Tush,” “Bugs” and “Velcro Fly.”
The drummer was born June 11, 1949, in Frankston, Texas. He spent the earliest years of his music career playing across the state with Gibbons. Beard and Gibbons teamed up with bassist Dusty Hill – who died in 2021 – to form ZZ Top in late 1969. The trio hit it big with “La Grange” in 1973 and quickly became one of the most in-demand blues rock performances in America.
The group took a two-year hiatus in 1977 but returned with the 1979 album “Deguello.” Soon after they exploded into mainstream success. With the rise of MTV in the 1980s, ZZ Top built their famous, long-bearded public image with music videos for hits like “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Give Me All Your Lovin’.”
