ZZ Top Drummer Frank Beard Takes Medical Leave

Frank Beard

Frank Beard, the longtime drummer of ZZ Top, has temporarily stepped away from the band’s ongoing Elevation Tour to address an unspecified health issue.

The announcement was made by ZZ Top’s management, Shelter Music Group, on Saturday, March 15, 2025, via a statement shared on the band’s social media channels. The statement indicated that Beard’s health condition requires his immediate focus, though no specific details about the nature of the issue or the procedure he will undergo were disclosed. It was noted, however, that Beard is optimistic about a speedy recovery.

Beard, a co-founder of ZZ Top alongside guitarist/vocalist Billy Gibbons and the late bassist Dusty Hill, has been with the band since 1969, making him a key part of its 55-year legacy. During his absence, ZZ Top has enlisted John Douglas, a fellow Texan and longtime drum technician for the band, to fill in on drums. Douglas has a history with ZZ Top, having previously stepped in for Beard in October 2002 when the drummer underwent an emergency appendectomy during a European tour stop in Paris. His familiarity with the band ensures continuity as they continue their tour.

The Elevation Tour, which kicked off its latest leg earlier this month, following an initial U.S. run in late 2024, will proceed without Beard for the time being. The tour is scheduled to run through April 2025, with upcoming performances across the U.S., followed by dates in Australia and New Zealand alongside George Thorogood & The Destroyers as part of the Red Hot Summer series. Additional North American dates are planned thereafter, though it remains unclear when Beard will return to his position behind the drum kit.

ZZ Top, known for hits like “La Grange,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Legs,” has maintained a remarkable career, with Beard being the only member not typically sporting the band’s iconic long beards—ironically, he’s usually seen with just a mustache, though he grew a short beard in 2013.