The band known for two front men wearing long beards is ZZ Top. The Texas trio became one of rock music’s most recognizable acts through its blues-based sound, humorous image, and the matching beards worn by guitarist Billy Gibbons and bassist Dusty Hill.
ZZ Top formed in Houston in 1969. Gibbons and Hill stood at the front of the stage, usually wearing sunglasses, hats, and extremely long beards, while drummer Frank Beard completed the group’s classic lineup. The visual joke was that Beard himself generally did not wear a beard.
The band blended blues, boogie, hard rock, and Southern rock. Albums such as Tres Hombres and Eliminator produced enduring songs including “La Grange,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” and “Sharp Dressed Man.” Their elaborate music videos helped introduce the group to a large MTV audience during the 1980s.
Dusty Hill died in 2021, but ZZ Top continued performing with guitarist Elwood Francis. The group’s beard-based image remains one of the most distinctive identities in classic rock.