It's a sad day for rock & roll fans. It has been announced that ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill tragically died in his sleep at his home in Houston, Texas. The musician was 72-years-old. His death was announced by bandmates Billy Gibbons and Frank Beard.
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Through Instagram, the duo wrote, "We are saddened by the news today that our Compadre, Dusty Hill, has passed away in his sleep at home in Houston, Texas. 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.'"
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Hill recently announced he suffered a hip injury that prompted his departure from the band's upcoming performances. The band addressed their step back on their Facebook page, saying, "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. They await a speedy recovery and have him back pronto." They replaced Hill with Elwood Francis.
The American musician was also a songwriter and played bass guitar, the keyboard, and sung back and lead vocals. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the band in 2004.
Rock band ZZ Top was formed back in 1969 in Houston Texas and consists of founders Gibbons, Hall, and Beard. The band has released 15 studio albums selling an estimated 50 million albums worldwide. They won three MTV Music Video Awards and Rolling Stone ranked Gibbons 32 on its list of "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." In November 2020 their documentary "That Little Ol' Band From Texas," was nominated for the Grammy award for Best Music Film.
Rest in Peace, Dusty Hill.
