ZZ Top Will Continue Touring without Late Bassist Dusty Hill
ZZ Top have decided that the best way to honor the legacy of late bassist Dusty Hill, whose death they announced yesterday, is to continue on with their current tour in his honor.
Hill was 72 years old at the time of his death — the cause of which is not known publicly — and had played in ZZ Top since 1970, shortly after Billy Gibbons formed the band.
On July 23, the band reported that Hill was heading home from tour to deal with a hip issue. Elwood Francis, the band’s “trusted guitar tech of the past two decades,” filled in on slide guitar, bass and harmonica during his absence. “Billy’s big guitar, crushing drums from Mr. Beard, and Elwood securing the bottom end continues the delivery with those famous three chords we all dig,” they said.
ZZ Top currently have a lengthy tour scheduled through the rest of 2021 with few extended breaks. The run had kicked off on July 16 and Hill bowed out only one week in. Francis will continue to hold down the bass and other instruments for the duration — allegedly with Hill’s blessing before he passed — as the band has revealed they will continue on.
Radio personality Eddie Trunk broke the news, sharing information from a text message he received from Gibbons. Trunk tweeted:
“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.”
Here are the rest of ZZ Top’s currently scheduled shows:
Jul. 30 – Tuscaloosa, AL – Tuscaloosa Amphitheater [Tickets]
Jul. 31 – Valdosta, GA – Wild Adventures [Tickets]
Aug. 01 – Brandon, MS – Brandon Amphitheater [Tickets]
Aug. 03 – Little Rock, AR – First Security Amphitheater [Tickets]
Aug. 04 – Alexandria, LA – Rapides Paris Coliseum [Tickets]
Aug. 06 – Camdenton, MO – Lake Ozarks Amphitheatre [Tickets]
Aug. 07 – Washington, MO – Washington Town & Country Fair [Tickets]
Aug. 08 – Bonner Springs, KS – Azura Amphitheater [Tickets]
Aug. 11 – Sturgis, SD – Buffalo Chip Campground [Tickets]
Aug. 12 – Casper, WY – Casper Events Center [Tickets]
Aug. 14 – Reno, NV – Reno Ballroom – Silver Legacy Casino [Tickets]
Aug. 15 – Grande Ronde, OR – Spirit Mountain Casino [Tickets]
Aug. 17 – Jacksonville, OR – Britt Pavilion [Tickets]
Aug. 19 – Maryville, WA – Tulalip Amphitheater [Tickets]
Aug. 20 – Lewiston, ID – Clearwater River Casino [Tickets]
Aug. 21 – Missoula, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater [Tickets]
Aug. 24 – Englewood, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater [Tickets]
Sep. 11 – Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest – Henry Maier Festival Park [Tickets]
Sep. 12 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center [Tickets]
Sep. 14 – Huber Heights, OH – Rose Music Center at The Heights [Tickets]
Sep. 15 – Cedar Rapids, IA – Alliant Energy PowerHouse [Tickets]
Sep. 17 – Council Bluffs, IA – Stir Cover at Harrah’s Casino [Tickets]
Sep. 18 – Pryor, OK – Born & Raised Festival [Tickets]
Sep. 19 – Memphis, TN – Orpheum Theatre [Tickets]
Sep. 21 – Charleston, WV – Charleston Coliseum [Tickets]
Sep. 22 – Doswell, VA – Meadow Event Park [Tickets]
Sep. 23 – Frederick, MD – Frederick Fairgrounds [Tickets]
Sep. 25 – Watertown, NY – Watertown Fairgrounds Baseball Diamond [Tickets]
Sep. 26 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts [Tickets]
Sep. 28 – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston Performing Arts Center [Tickets]
Sep. 30 – Macon, GA – Macon City Auditorium @ The Macon Centreplex [Tickets]
Oct. 01 – Tupelo, MS – BancorpSouth Arena [Tickets]
Oct. 02 – Lake Charles, LA – Golden Nugget [Tickets]
Oct. 04 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena [Tickets]
Oct. 08 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre [Tickets]
Oct. 09 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre [Tickets]
Oct. 10 – Scottsdale, AZ – Talking Stick Resort [Tickets]
Oct. 13 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre [Tickets]
Oct. 15 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre [Tickets]
Oct. 16 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre [Tickets]
Nov. 06 – Key West, FL – Key West Amphitheater [Tickets]
Nov. 09 – Tampa, FL – Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino [Tickets]
Nov. 11 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock International [Tickets]
Nov. 13 – Fort Myers, FL – Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall [Tickets]
Nov. 14 – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre [Tickets]
Nov. 16 – Melbourne, FL – King Center for the Performing Arts [Tickets]
Nov. 17 – Savannah, GA – Johnny Mercer Theater [Tickets]
Nov. 20 – Wilmington, NC – Cape Fear Community College [Tickets]
Nov. 21- Durham, NC – Durham Performing Arts Center [Tickets]
Nov. 23 – Chattanooga, TN – Tivoli Theatre [Tickets]
Nov. 27 – Lubbock, TX – Buddy Holly Center [Tickets]
Nov. 28 – Lubbock, TX – Buddy Holly Center [Tickets]
Dec. 03 – Biloxi, MS – IP Casino Resort and Hotel [Tickets]
Dec. 04 – Shreveport, LA – Municipal Auditorium [Tickets]
Dec. 05 – Wichita Falls, TX – Memorial Auditorium [Tickets]
Dec. 07 – Abilene, TX – Taylor County Coliseum [Tickets]
Dec. 11 – El Paso, TX – Abraham Chavez Theatre [Tickets]
Dec. 12 – Midland, TX – Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center [Tickets]
Apr. 23 – Abborsford, BC – Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre [Tickets]
Apr. 24 – Penticton, BC – South Okanagen Events Centre [Tickets]
Apr. 26 – Kamloops, BC – Sandman Centre [Tickets]
Apr. 27 – Lethbridge, AB – ENMAX Centre [Tickets]
Apr. 29 – Saskatoon, SK – SaskTel Center [Tickets]
Apr. 30 – Enoch, AB – River Cree Resort & Casino [Tickets]
May 03 – Brandon, MB – Keystone Centre [Tickets]
May 04 – Niagara Falls, ON – Fallsview Casino Resort [Tickets]
May 08 – Laval, QC – Place Bell [Tickets]
May 10 – Halifax, NS – Halifax Scotiabank Centre [Tickets]
May 13 – St. John’s, NL – Mile One Centre [Tickets]
May 14 – St. John’s, NL – Mile One Centre [Tickets]
