Frank Beard: key obituary facts
Is Frank Beard dead? Yes. Frank Beard died on August 17, 2026, at age 77.
Cause of death: Frank Beard's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Frank Beard known for?
He was an American drummer (1949–2026).
More about Frank Beard
Born: 11 June 1949.
Place of birth: Frankston.
Place of death: Richmond.
Gender: male.
Occupation: composer, drummer.
Nationality: United States.
Education: Irving High School.
Career began: 1969.
Career ended: 2025.
Also known as: Rube Beard.
Genres: Blues rock, hard rock, boogie rock, Southern rock.
Years active: 1957–2026.
Formerly of: ZZ Top, American Blues.
Frank Beard, the American Hall of Fame rock drummer best known for his long tenure with ZZ Top, died on August 17, 2026, aged 77.
Born Frank Lee Beard on June 11, 1949, in Frankston, Texas, he was raised in Irving and attended Irving High School. As a teenager, he met Dusty Hill after their bands shared a bill at a Fort Worth club, a connection that later led him into the Warlocks and, ultimately, into ZZ Top.
Before that, Beard had played in several Texas-area acts, including the Cellar Dwellers, the Hustlers, the Dallas band Outlaws, and American Blues, and he also spent time in a touring version of the Zombies. Over a career that stretched from 1969 to 2025, he became one of the defining musicians in ZZ Top’s history.
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