Frank Beard
Latest Frank Beard news, guitars, gear, music, performances, and collaborations covered by Guitar Radar.
Guitar Radar has 1 story about Frank Beard, tracking new music, tours, collaborations and gear. Most of it sits under players. The most recent story, from Aug 29, 2026, is “Frank Beard, ZZ Top's drummer for more than five decades, dies at 77”.
About Frank Beard
Frank Beard was the drummer of ZZ Top, the one member of the band who did not grow a beard, a joke Billy Gibbons turned into the line that Frank's beard is on his driver's license; he wore a trimmed mustache for most of his adult life. He had played with Dusty Hill in the band American Blues before the two joined Billy Gibbons in 1969, and the three kept the same lineup until Hill's death in 2021.
His kit was built on Tama: Modern Drummer reports that his drum tech John Douglas, who had apprenticed with him, persuaded him to switch to larger Tama drums fitted with triggers, and a later set-up used two Tama Starclassic 22-inch bass drums spread ten feet apart. A three-Syndrum setup stayed in his kit until the end of the Eliminator tour in 1983 and 1984, and a single Simmons pad replaced it in 1985.
Obituary reports in August 2026 say he died at 77, though sources differ on his age and birthplace. Guitar Radar covers him mainly in connection with ZZ Top and Billy Gibbons.
Sources: Modern Drummer: Frank Beard of ZZ Top · Equipboard: Frank Beard's gear · WFTV: ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard dies at 77
