Photo credit: www.billboard.com
ZZ Top’s drummer Frank Beard has announced he will be stepping away from the band’s ongoing Elevation tour due to health concerns.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The announcement, shared on March 15, clarified that Beard requires time off to address an unspecified health procedure. The band emphasized the importance of Beard’s well-being in their statement.
A post from the band’s management, Shelter Music Group, stated, “Mr. Frank Beard has temporarily stepped away from the current tour to attend to a health issue requiring his focus in the near term.”
To fill in for Beard, the band has enlisted John Douglas, a percussionist and longtime associate of ZZ Top. Douglas has performed with the group before, including during a concert in Paris when Beard underwent an emergency appendectomy in 2002.
The management’s statement concluded with wishes for Beard’s quick recovery, expressing hope for his return to the band.
ZZ Top kicked off their Elevation tour in October 2024, touring across the U.S. until November before resuming on March 5. The current leg of the tour will continue through April, including stops in Australia and New Zealand, with additional North American dates being planned. However, it remains uncertain when Beard will be back with the band.
Frank Beard has been an integral part of ZZ Top since 1969, taking over from co-founder Dan Mitchell. The group, originally formed that same year, included vocalist and guitarist Billy Gibbons and bassist Lanier Greig. After Greig was succeeded by Billy Ethridge, Dusty Hill joined as the bassist in 1970, solidifying a lineup that remained unchanged for over half a century until Hill’s passing in 2021. Elwood Francis has since taken over the role of bassist.
Though ZZ Top has not released a studio album since 2012’s La Futura, Gibbons has suggested that a new album with contributions from the late Hill is currently in the works.
Source
www.billboard.com