ZZ Top Legend Dusty Hill Dead at 72
ZZ Top icon Dusty Hill has died at age 72. According to bandmates Billy Gibbons and Frank Beard, Hill passed away in his Houston, Texas, home.
"We are saddened by the news today that our Compadre, Dusty Hill, has passed away in his sleep at home in Houston, TX,” the surviving ZZ Top members write. “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. You will be missed greatly, amigo."
Last week, Dusty Hill was forced to drop off a tour due to hip issues. It’s not known whether this in any way contributed to Hill’s death.
Hill was born on May 19, 1949 in Dallas, Texas and played the cello in high school before cutting his teeth in the club circuit as a member of a number of rock acts prior to the formation of ZZ Top.
After relocating from Dallas to Houston, Hill joined his past bandmate Frank Beard in ZZ Top, alongside Billy Gibbons. The band signed a record deal in 1970 and released their debut, ZZ Top's First Album, one year later. For the next 50 years, the power trio remained intact and released a total of 15 albums. Among them, four were certified gold, two went platinum, another went platinum five times over and 1983's Eliminator achieved diamond status for over 10 million copies sold.
In 2004, Hill, Gibbons and Beard were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as ZZ Top.
Rest in peace, legend.