ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill dies; band scheduled for December show in Abilene

Greg Jaklewicz, Abilene Reporter-News
Updated ·1 min read
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Dusty Hill, bass player for the Texas trio ZZ Top, has died.

According to the band in a statement, Joseph "Dusty" Hill, 72, died in his sleep at his home in Houston.

“You will be missed greatly, amigo," lead guitarist Billy Gibbons and drummer Frank Beard said in the statement.

ZZ Top's Dusty Hill sings during the band's concert Jan. 20, 2015, at the Taylor County Coliseum. Hill was reported Wednesday to have died at 72.
ZZ Top's Dusty Hill sings during the band's concert Jan. 20, 2015, at the Taylor County Coliseum. Hill was reported Wednesday to have died at 72.

This month, the band was booked for a concert Dec. 7 in Abilene. They last here at the Taylor County Coliseum in 2015.

More: Get your 'Cheap Sunglasses' out: ZZ Top concert set for Dec. 7 in Abilene

Rochelle Johnson, general manager of the Taylor County Expo Center, said she has had no contact with the promoter concerning the status of the concert. Any changes would be announced immediately, she said.

The band was formed in 1969 by Gibbons. Their fame skyrocketed in 1973 with the "Tres Hombres" album that featured the classic "La Grange."

Recently, Gibbons and Beard performed without the long-bearded Hill, citing medical issues.

The band celebrated its 50th anniversary as the long-standing trio in 2020.

More: Sharp dressed man: ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons finds long-lost suit via 'Pawn Stars' episode

ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons (left) and Dusty Hill (right) perform during the band's concert Jan. 20, 2015, at the Taylor County Coliseum.
ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons (left) and Dusty Hill (right) perform during the band's concert Jan. 20, 2015, at the Taylor County Coliseum.

Greg Jaklewicz is editor of the Abilene Reporter-News and general columnist. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill dies; band scheduled for December show here