Remembering Dusty Hill: ZZ Top's Bearded Bass Legend (1949–2021)

The beard, the sunglasses and that rumbling bass: Dusty Hill was one-third of the most recognizable trio in rock and roll. For more than 50 years he anchored ZZ Top, the "little ol' band from Texas" that turned blues boogie into stadium-sized hits. Hill died in his sleep at his home in Houston on July 28, 2021. He was 72.

A Dallas Kid With the Blues

Born Joe Michael Hill on May 19, 1949, in Dallas, he grew up playing music with his brother Rocky. Their band, American Blues, became a fixture on the Texas club scene in the 1960s. In 1970, Hill moved to Houston and joined guitarist Billy Gibbons and drummer Frank Beard in ZZ Top. The lineup never changed for the next five decades, a rare feat in rock history.

Tush, La Grange and the Texas Boogie

ZZ Top built its following in the 1970s with gritty, swaggering blues-rock and marathon tours across the country. Hill's thick bass lines and high harmonies were central to the sound, and he took the lead vocal on the band's 1975 hit "Tush." Songs like "La Grange" made them heroes in Texas and beyond.

The MTV Era

In the 1980s, ZZ Top reinvented itself. The album Eliminator added synthesizers and drum machines to the band's boogie, and its hits "Gimme All Your Lovin'," "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Legs" became MTV staples, complete with the famous red hot rod, spinning guitars and the band's signature beards and shades. Eliminator sold more than 10 million copies and was certified Diamond. The follow-up, Afterburner, went five times platinum. The beards became so iconic that, according to band lore, a razor company once offered Hill and Gibbons $1 million to shave. They said no.

A Legacy in Texas Rock

ZZ Top released 15 albums and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with Keith Richards doing the honors. The band even turned up on the big screen, playing a frontier dance in Back to the Future Part III. Shortly before Hill's death, a hip injury had forced him to step away from the road, and longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis filled in. Honoring Hill's wishes, the band kept the music going.

Turn up "Tush" today and you'll hear exactly why Dusty Hill was the heartbeat of Texas rock.

What's your favorite ZZ Top song, from the '70s boogie years or the MTV era? Tell us in the comments below.