ZZ Top Bassist Dusty Hill Dead

By Craig ONeal - originally posted to Flickr as ZZ Top Live, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4196755

One of the original founding members of Texas blues rock band ZZ Top passed away in his sleep at the age of 72.

Dusty Hill, the group’s Dallas-born bassist, formed the band with singer and guitarist Billy Gibbons and drummer Frank Beard in 1969, and they performed together for more than five decades.

“We are saddened by the news today that our Compadre, Dusty Hill, has passed away in his sleep at home in Houston, TX,” Gibbons and Beard wrote on Facebook. “We, along with legions of ZZ Top fans around the world, will miss your steadfast presence, your good nature and enduring commitment to providing that monumental bottom to the ‘Top’. We will forever be connected to that ‘Blues Shuffle in C.’”

Last Friday the band issued a statement that Hill was suffering from a hip issue and reportedly had to skip his first show since 1969.

“The members of ZZ Top, Billy, and Frank, would like to share that Dusty, their fearless Bass player, is on a short detour back to Texas, to address a hip issue,” the band posted. “They await a speedy recovery and have him back pronto. Per Dusty’s request “The show must go on!””

ZZ Top released their first full-length album in 1971, and rose to prominence with radio hits “La Grange” and “Cheap Sunglasses,” but became wildly successful in the 1980s when their album Eliminator topped Billboard charts for 183 weeks with pop singles “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Legs.”

The band went on to sell 50 million records and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 by Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards. Their upcoming sixteenth album will be Hill’s final with the group.

Tributes have poured in from fellow musicians, actors, politicians, and commentators.


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Rick
Rick
2 years ago

So sad to hear about Dusty’s passing. You will be forever missed my brother of the bass. Keep Heaven Rockin till we meet again.

Mark
Mark
2 years ago

I stopped listening to them when I found out how Liberal they are, couldn’t care less about him or any of the others in that band.

2cents56
2cents56
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark

Couldn’t keep your negative comments to yourself. Classless