Frank Beard | |
|---|---|
 Beard in 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Frank Lee Beard |
| Born | June 11, 1949 Frankston, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Drummer |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Member of | ZZ Top |
| Formerly of | American Blues |
Frank Lee Beard (born June 11, 1949) is an American drummer best known as the long-time drummer of the rock band ZZ Top.
Beard was born in Frankston, Texas, and attended Irving High School in Irving, Texas.
Before joining ZZ Top, Beard was a member of a fake version of the British band the Zombies, which toured in the US without authorization from the original band members, and also was part of the Outlaws with later ZZ Top member Dusty Hill. [1] Other bands Beard and Hill played with early in their careers included the Cellar Dwellers, the Hustlers, the Warlocks, and American Blues. [2]
In May 1969, Beard joined The Moving Sidewalks, a band that would become ZZ Top in July 1969. Beard also introduced Gibbons to Hill. After honing their trademark "Texas boogie-blues-rock" style, they released ZZ Top's First Album on London Records in January 1971. Beard is credited under the nickname "Rube Beard" on the ZZ Top's First Album and on Tres Hombres , the band's third album, but is credited under his actual name on Rio Grande Mud , their second album. He is also credited under his actual name on every ZZ Top album since 1975's Fandango!
Beard married long-time girlfriend Catherine Alexander in April 1978 and divorced July 1981. [3]
After achieving success with ZZ Top in the late 1970s, Beard began spending a lot of money on drugs, including LSD, cocaine and heroin. He later regretted spending the money, and said it damaged his relationships. He joined a rehabilitation program. He recalled: "I just wanted to get sober. I wanted to be like people I admired who could sit home and watch TV and go to bed and that was okay [for them]." [4] ZZ Top went on hiatus for three years while Beard dealt with his addictions. [5]
He married Debbie Meredith in November 1982. They remain married and have three children. [3] Beard resides in Richmond, Texas, where he owns and operates the Top 40 Ranch. He golfs, and is known locally for participation in tournaments and community events. Beard was long known as, ironically, the only member of ZZ Top not to have a beard, but he grew a short one in 2013. [6]
Beard plays Tama drums, Paiste cymbals, Promark drumsticks, and Remo drumheads.[ citation needed ]
ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969. For 51 years, it consisted of vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and bassist-vocalist Dusty Hill, until Hill's death in 2021. ZZ Top developed a signature sound based on Gibbons' blues style and Hill and Beard's rhythm section. They are known for their live performances, sly and humorous lyrics, and the matching appearances of Gibbons and Hill, who wore sunglasses, hats and long beards.
Afterburner is the ninth studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in 1985. Although critics' response to the album was lukewarm, Afterburner was a commercial success, eventually going platinum five times and launching one hit single: "Sleeping Bag" which peaked at No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks and at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, equaling the peak of their previous single "Legs". The album yielded three other Top 40 singles in the United States: "Stages", "Rough Boy", and "Velcro Fly".
ZZ Top's First Album is the debut studio album by American rock band ZZ Top, produced by Bill Ham and released in January 1971 by London Records. Establishing ZZ Top's attitude and humor, the album incorporates styles such as blues, boogie, hard rock, and Southern rock influences. "(Somebody Else Been) Shakin' Your Tree" was the only single released from the album.
Degüello is the sixth studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in November 1979. It was the first ZZ Top release on Warner Bros. Records and eventually went platinum. It was produced by Bill Ham, recorded and mixed by Terry Manning, and mastered by Bob Ludwig.
El Loco is the seventh studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in 1981. It foreshadowed the band's extensive usage of synthesizers on Eliminator, Afterburner, and to a lesser extent, Recycler, by way of employing a synthesizer on a couple tracks, played by an uncredited Linden Hudson.
Mescalero is the fourteenth studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top. It was released in September 2003, as the band's final release for RCA Records. While the band still retained their foundation in blues rock, Mescalero explored genres like country and Tejano. Recording sessions took place at Foam Box Recordings in Houston, with Billy Gibbons as producer.
XXX is the thirteenth studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in September 1999. The album's title commemorates the band's 30th anniversary.
Eliminator is the eighth studio album by American rock band ZZ Top. It was released on March 23, 1983, by Warner Bros. Records, and rose high on the charts in many countries. Four hit singles were released—"Gimme All Your Lovin'" which reached the American Top 40, "Sharp Dressed Man", "TV Dinners" and their most successful single, "Legs". Eliminator is ZZ Top's most commercially successful release, with sales of 11 million and diamond certification in the US.
William Frederick Gibbons is an American rock musician, best known as the guitarist and primary vocalist of ZZ Top. He began his career in Moving Sidewalks, who recorded Flash (1969) and opened four dates for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Gibbons formed ZZ Top in late 1969 and released ZZ Top's First Album in early 1971. He has also maintained a solo career in recent years, starting with his first album Perfectamundo (2015).
One Foot in the Blues is a compilation album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in 1994. The album contains a selection of the band's songs which fall into the blues genre. With the exception of the songs taken from the Degüello, El Loco, Eliminator and Recycler albums, the 1987 digital remixes were used.
The Best of ZZ Top(10 Legendary Texas Tales) is a greatest hits album by American rock band ZZ Top, released November 26, 1977. Spanning the years from 1971 to 1975, this compilation album does not contain any songs from Tejas, which was released the year before.
Joe Michael "Dusty" Hill was an American musician who was the bassist of the rock band ZZ Top for more than 50 years. He also sang backing and lead vocals and played keyboards.
"Legs" is a song by the band ZZ Top from their 1983 album Eliminator. The song was released as the fourth single in May 1984 more than a year after the album came out. It reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, and the dance mix version of the song peaked at number 13 on the dance charts.
American Blues was an American 1960s Texas-based rock band which played a psychedelic style of blues rock music influenced by the 13th Floor Elevators. They are most notable for including two future members of the band ZZ Top in their ranks, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard. From 1966 to 1968, they played the Dallas-Fort Worth-Houston circuit and headlined in three clubs all called "The Cellar", in Dallas at clubs such as "The Walrus" on Mockingbird Lane, and in Houston at "Love Street Light Circus Feel Good Machine" on Allen's Landing, as late as 1968.
American Blues 'Is Here' is a studio album by the psychedelic blues-rock band American Blues. The band is known for featuring future ZZ Top members Frank Beard and Dusty Hill. The album is sometimes referred to as simply American Blues or Is Here.
Sam Dunn is a Canadian documentary filmmaker, musician, and anthropologist, best known for his series of documentaries on heavy metal music. He co-owns Toronto-based production company Banger Films with Scot McFadyen. Dunn holds a bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of Victoria and a master's degree from York University where his thesis work focused on Guatemalan refugees.
John Rockford "Rocky" Hill was an American blues guitarist, singer, and bassist from Dallas, Texas, United States. Hill was the older brother of ZZ Top bassist, Dusty Hill.
Fandango! is the fourth album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in 1975. The album's first side consists of selections from live shows, with the second side being new studio recordings. A remastered and expanded edition of this album was released on February 28, 2006.
Recycler is the tenth studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in October 1990. It was the last album to utilize the band's synthesizer-driven production style which began on Eliminator and marked a return to the band's blues roots.
"Waitin' for the Bus" and "Jesus Just Left Chicago" are two songs by American rock band ZZ Top from their 1973 album Tres Hombres. The two songs open the album, segued into each other, and for years radio stations played the two tracks together. "Waitin' for the Bus" was written solely by Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill, while "Jesus Just Left Chicago" was also co-written by drummer Frank Beard.
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