The music world was met with some tragic news yesterday, when it was revealed that ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill died at 72 years old. The band was in the midst of a tour when he passed, and it appears they will finish that run of dates and perhaps continue into the future without Hill.
Eddie Trunk, host of “Trunk Nation” on SiriusXM, shared some texts he received from Billy Gibbons, which read, “As Dusty said upon his departure, ‘ Let the show go on!’.and…with respect, we’ll do well to get beyond this and honor his wishes. […] Dusty emphatically grabbed my arm and said, ‘Give [longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis] the bottom end and take it to the Top’. He meant it, amigo. He really did.”
Received this just now via text from @BillyFGibbons regarding passing of Dusty Hill @ZZTop . Billy told me okay to share w/fans: As Dusty said upon his departure, “ Let the show go on!”.and…with respect, we’ll do well to get beyond this and honor his wishes.
— Eddie Trunk (@EddieTrunk) July 28, 2021
Also this from @BillyFGibbons @ZZTop : Dusty emphatically grabbed my arm and said, “Give Elwood the bottom end and take it to the Top”.
He meant it, amigo. He really did.— Eddie Trunk (@EddieTrunk) July 28, 2021
As Consequence notes, ZZ Top canceled last night’s Simpsonville, South Carolina concert, but as of now, the rest of the band’s upcoming shows appear to still be on, with the tour set to resume tomorrow (July 30) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Hill left the tour last week to address a “hip issue,” and while he was gone, Francis performed in his place, an arrangement that will presumably continue going forward. The band has yet to make an announcement of the fate of their tour beyond the canceled South Carolina show.