The music world lost a great one today. According to TMZ, ZZ Top Bassist and founding member Dusty Hill passed away in his sleep last night. The shocking news was announced by his band mates Frank Beard and Billy Gibbons. Dusty was an original member of the band forming in Texas way back in the mid 1960’s. Hill has played the bass on every ZZ Top album and has been on nearly every tour the band has been on outside of his Hepatitis C scare in 2000.
Growing up, ZZ Top was on of my favorite bands. One of the groups you could always rely on to deliver the goods. Much like AC/DC, ZZ Top had a sound that was instantaneously recognizable and unique to the band. The Texas blues sound was synonymous with the name ZZ Top. Dusty started out in a band with his brother Rocky Hill, but wanted to focus on more of a rock sound than a straight blues sound. He left his brother, took Frank with him, and moved to Texas where they met Billy Gibbons…and went on to be one of the greatest rock bands in history. He was also featured in one of the greatest movie trilogies of all time with his fellow band mates in “Back to the Future III”, and even served as a focal point of a “King of the Hill” episode where it was revealed that Hank Hill was a cousin of the famous bassist.
According to Yahoo News, Dusty was recovering from a hip injury and was not set to be joining the band on this year’s tour. It was reported that Dusty passed away in his sleep at his home in Houston late July 27th 2021. Dusty Hill will be missed by millions of fans and fellow musicians. Thanks for the music Dusty.