Dusty Hill passed away yesterday. This one is tough. Dusty was the bassist for ZZ Top. ZZ Top is one of my all-time favorite bands. They have stood alone as the only Southern Rock band from the Sixties and Seventies to not only survive, but thrive. Dusty and drummer Frank Beard teamed with guitarist Billy Gibbons to form ZZ Top in 1969. Before that, they played in a psychedelic band called “The Moving Sidewalks” and were actually the opening act for Jimi Hendrix for four shows in 1968.
I was fortunate enough to see the Top in concert four times. The first time was in 1973 at Lake Spivey in Jonesboro. Wet Willie was the headliner and the show featured a number of Southern Rock bands including The Marshall Tucker Band, Lynyrd Sknynrd, Elvin Bishop and Black Oak Arkansas. The picture shown here was taken at Spivey that day.
I saw them again in 1975 at the Omni in Atlanta, in 1980 at the Fox Theatre and in 1985, again at the Omni. I have been to a lot of concerts over the years and there are only two bands that I have seen where throughout the whole show I never sat down. One is Foghat, who I saw three times at the old Municipal Auditorium. The other is ZZ Top.
In the summer of 1976 I was twenty one years old, had a head full of hair, a thirty-one inch waist and no job. I decided to take a few months off, enjoy the summer and blow what little I had in my savings account. I had a killer sound system in my ’73 VW and all I listened to were ZZ Top and The Rolling Stones. Eventually September rolled around, my money dried up and I had to get a job and go back to work. But I have always remembered that summer as one of the greatest in my life.
The next year my buddy Walt and I took his ’73 Monte Carlo to Daytona Beach. I’m not going to go into the trip because in the late Seventies what happened in Daytona stayed in Daytona. The trip down there was a blast, almost as fun as the week at the beach itself. We traveled at night, drank 8 oz. Michelobs, enjoyed a little herb that is now considered by most states to be medically valuable and listened to Tejas, an album released by the Top in ’76. The picture above of Dusty was on featured on the inside liner of the cover. Tejaswas not well-received critically because it was such a radical departure from the Texas Lightning style which had made the band famous. Personally, I think it is one of the best albums the band recorded. The smooth sound, mixed with splashes of blues-rock were perfect for a couple of twenty-two year olds headed for a week of fun in the sun and the consumption of a goodly amount of beer. Walt and I still talk about the ride there and anytime I hear music from TejasI think of trucking through the night towards Daytona.
The cause of Dusty’s death has not been released. Gibbons and Beard released the statement, “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.’ You will be missed greatly, amigo.”
He was 72 years old. I can’t imagine Billy G. and Frank going on without him, but stranger things have happened. One thing is for sure, it wouldn’t be the same. It never could be. ZZ Top was the three and one could never be replaced. Godspeed, Dusty. Every girl’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man.
Very good Jimmy. I too was a fan. Saw them in 72 Charlotte in a small stadium on Independence Blvd. It was announced that there were 3 band playing their major debuts . Included were ZZ TOP,Brownsville Station and Marshall Tucker.
The complete line up was Goose Creek Symphony, Leon Russell, Allman Brothers Band.
All 3 of the debuts were good but ZZ blew everyone away.
Note: Greg passed out and it was bad…lol.
Leon was Leon they had to turn the power off to get him to stop and of course was excellent.
Then in 85,at the FOX again great.
My cousins band The Younguns opened for Jimi in Atlanta in 68.,John actually loaned Jimi some equipment due to their Airlines lost his.
Excellent Jimmy! One of my favorites! RIP Dusty Hill!
I’m roughly the same age and I lived through similar times. I bought a new Camaro in 1973 and drove it to Daytona for Spring break in 1975 I did a lot of cruising in those days listening to the great music of the era and the drive to Daytona from Atlanta was filled with loud rock music including ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk, Deep Purple, James Gang, Clapton, Johnny Winter, Wet Willie…too many more to name. I went to concerts routinely and saw all the greatest bands of the time, including ZZ Top and Foghat numerous times. I remember cruising the “strip” at Daytona Beach with Montrose’s Make It Last blasting through my four speaker 8-track and pretty girls sticking their heads in my hot-looking bright yellow, hand pinstriped Camaro with fat tires and mag wheels as we were stopped in traffic. Tres Hombres… what a fabulous album… fabulous times!