Well, Shit! That sucks, but Frank had some pretty bad issues. So long, Buddy.
ZZ Top now Beardless?
That’s 2/3 members who’ve died. Dusty Hill died in 2021. Billy Gibbons, the lead guitarist and singer, is the only one left out of their classic lineup.
The band has a good apprenticeship program. Dusty’s guitar tech took over as the bass player. While Frank was dealing with his health issues his drum tech took over and presumably will continue to be the drummer. Promote from within.
Playing The Six Pack in remembrance. I wonder who inherits Top Dog? (Frank’s dog. Used to come out on stage)
My own favorite ZZ Top story: They were extras in “Sharknado 2”, in a subway crowd scene.
They seemed to like being extras. They wrote a song for Back to the Future 3, and were in town near where they were shooting for a completely unrelated reason, but stopped by the set and convinced Zemeckis to let them join the band at the town fair as a cameo.
Ironically, Frank Beard was the member of ZZ Top who didn’t have a beard.
He grew a very short goatee circa 2014 but nothing like the other two had. I wondered from time to time whether it was an ironic choice or not.
Earle Bailey, the afternoon deejay on SiriusXM’s Classic Vinyl announced Beard’s death, gave a short eulogy, then spun up “Legs.”
I guess he is not widely known outside Spain, despite winning numerous international awards, but he deserves a mention nonetheless: Juan Tamariz, magician extraordinaire and a good person, died yesterday aged 83.
Another sad departure.
Very well known in the magic community.
I had OJ Brigance on my list. I will take the 44 pts
Glad to hear that. Deservedly so, IMO. I have watched today some of his appearances abroad. Despite relying so much on his speech based humour he was great even when not in front of a Spanish speaking audience. He really had something.
Nancy Kissinger. 92.
I am shocked to hear…
…that Mark Rydell had been alive earlier this month.
Nancy Kassebaum, 94.
Michael Wright: zero heartbeats.
The daughter of Alf Landon, she was the first woman Senator elected from Kansas. She was also a true moderate. She led an unsuccessful effort to curb the deficit during the Reagan years, and she was instrumental in passing a law that enabled workers to get health insurance regardless of pre-existing conditions. She endorsed Democratic governor Laura Kelly in 2018 and 2022, was critical of Trump, and endorsed Harris for president in 2024.
Kansas has not had a decent Senator since she retired in 1996.