ZZ Top's Dusty Hill Dies at 72
ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill has died at age 72. ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and Frank Beard released an announcement via Instagram regarding Hill's death, stating that Hill died in his sleep at his home in Houston, Texas.
"We are saddened by the news today that our Compadre, Dusty Hill, has passed away in his sleep at home in Houston, TX. 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. - Frank & Billy"
Hill joined the group in 1970, and a year later they released ZZ Top's First Album. Throughout the '70s they earned gold and platinum albums including Tres Hombres and Fandango!, and steadily built a loyal fanbase on the strength of their electrifying showmanship during concerts. But it was 1983's Eliminator that earned the band Diamond-selling status. The album included smash hits "Legs," "Sharp Dressed Man," and "Gimme All Your Lovin'." The album's followup, Afterburner, was certified 5x platinum, on the strength of songs including "Sleeping Bag" and "Stages." To date, the band has released 15 studio albums, and the attention-grabbing music videos for "Legs," "Sharp Dressed Man," and "Rough Boy" earned the group multiple MTV VMA Awards in the 1980s.
In 2004, as a member of ZZ Top, Hill was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Over the years, ZZ Top appeared on a few CMT programs, including performing with Luke Bryan and Jason Derulo at the 2014 CMT Music Awards. In 2002, ZZ Top teamed with Brooks & Dunn for an episode of CMT Crossroads. That same year, a tribute album to ZZ Top featured numerous country artists, including Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Kenny Chesney, and Brooks & Dunn.
