Frank Lee Beard (born June 11, 1949) is an American drummer best known as a member of the rock band

ZZ Top ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in 1969 in Houston, Texas. For 51 years, they comprised vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and vocalist-bassist Dusty Hill, until Hill's death in 2021. ZZ Top developed a signature sou ...

Early life

Beard was born in

Frankston, Texas Frankston is a town in Anderson County, Texas, United States. With a population of 1,126 at the 2020 United States census, it is one of the principal communities of the county area. History Two theories are given as to how Frankston got its name ...

, and attended Irving High School in

Irving, Texas Irving is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. Located in Dallas County, it is also an inner ring suburb of Dallas. The city of Irving is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. According to a 2019 estimate from the United States Census Bureau ...

Career

Before joining ZZ Top, Beard was a member of a fake version of the British band

the Zombies The Zombies are an English Rock music, rock band formed in the early 1960s in St Albans and led by keyboardist and vocalist Rod Argent and vocalist Colin Blunstone. The group had a British and American chart-topper, hit in 1964 with "She's Not ...

, 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. Other bands Beard and Hill played with early in their careers included the Cellar Dwellers, the Hustlers, the Warlocks, and American Blues. 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 ''ZZ Top's First Album'' is the debut studio album by American Rock music, rock band ZZ Top. It was produced by Bill Ham, and released on January 16, 1971, on London Records. Establishing ZZ Top's attitude and humor, the album incorporates styles ...

'' on

London Records London Recordings (or London Records and London Music Stream) is a British record label that marketed records in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for Decca Records from 1947 to 1980 before becoming semi-independent. The London nam ...

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 ''Rio Grande Mud'' is the second studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top. It was released in 1972 by London label. The album title was inspired by the Rio Grande, the river that forms the border between Mexico and Texas. Background ZZ Top ...

'', their second album. He is also credited under his actual name on every ZZ Top album since 1975's '' Fandango!'' After achieving success with ZZ Top in the late 1970s, Beard began spending a lot of money on drugs, including LSD,

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Am ...

and

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and bro ...

. He later regretted spending the money, and said it damaged his relationships. He joined a

rehabilitation Rehabilitation or Rehab may refer to: Health * Rehabilitation (neuropsychology), therapy to regain or improve neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished * Rehabilitation (wildlife), treatment of injured wildlife so they can be retur ...

program. He recalled: "I just wanted to get sober. I wanted to be like people I admired that could sit home and watch TV and go to bed, and that was okay

or them Or or OR may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * "O.R.", a 1974 episode of M*A*S*H * Or (My Treasure), a 2004 movie from Israel (''Or'' means "light" in Hebrew) Music * ''Or'' (album), a 2002 album by Golden Boy with Miss ...

" ZZ Top went on hiatus for three years while Beard dealt with his addiction.

Personal life

Beard married long-time girlfriend Catherine Alexander in April 1978 and divorced July 1981. He married Debbie Meredith in November 1982. They remain married and have three children. Beard resides in

Richmond, Texas Richmond is a city in and the county seat of Fort Bend County, Texas, United States. The city is located within the metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city population was 11,627. It is home to the founders of the former company O ...

, 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 the only member of ZZ Top not to have a

beard A beard is the hair that grows on the jaw, chin, upper lip, lower lip, cheeks, and neck of humans and some non-human animals. In humans, usually pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. Throughout the course of history, societal at ...

, but he grew a short one in 2013.

Endorsements

Beard plays Tama drums, Paiste cymbals, Promark drumsticks, and

Remo Remo Inc. is an American musical instruments manufacturing company based in Valencia, California, and founded by Remo Belli in 1957. Products manufactured include drum kits, drumhead A drumhead or drum skin is a membrane stretched ov ...

drumheads.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Beard, Frank 1949 births 20th-century American drummers American male drummers American rock drummers Blues rock musicians Living people People from Anderson County, Texas People from Richmond, Texas People from Irving, Texas Musicians from Texas ZZ Top members