Over the decades ZZ Top have become an American institution. From the early days of developing their signature blues-infused sound, to their cultural reemergence in the 1980s propelled by the rise of MTV, to the later years of relentless saturation of the live circuit, it would seem the little ol’ band from Texas have just about done it all. In fact, even amidst one of the deadliest pandemics in history, an aggregate shutdown of the live music industry, and the unwavering march of time itself (the youngest member of the group being de facto leader Billy Gibbons at 71), the band apparently had no intention of slowing down prior to the passing of longtime bassist Dusty Hill. When Hill spoke with Ultimate Classic Rock in 2019 he indicated that ZZ Top had in fact recorded music that would likely be released. Bandmate Gibbons reflected this sentiment in his 2020 conversation with the Las Vegas Review Journal. The group had also been keeping their footing on the road, having played live just five days prior to Hill’s passing, although he could not be present for the event due to health issues. Per the band’s official website there are shows lined up well into 2022 and the band appear to be primed to tackle the commitments head on, with Gibbons imparting to Eddie Trunk on Sirius XM Radio, “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.” Indeed, the guys intend to keep pressing onward, but Hill’s influence as a member of the band for over half a century should not be understated.
To even the dedicated listener, it can be challenging to determine exactly what it is about music that makes it effective. With regard to ZZ Top and to rock music in general the focus of the casual listener will often drift to the lead singer or guitarist, a role that in the case of the Texas trio is filled by the most recognizable member of the band Billy Gibbons, although Hill had been known to contribute backing vocals, keyboards, and even a fair number of lead vocals. An audience’s tendency to assign a focal point for their attention within the context of music performance, live and otherwise, can often lead to disproportionate recognition of the strengths of certain performers within an ensemble, and consequently a dearth of understanding as to why their favorite tunes are as effective as they are at creating feelings within a listener that keep them coming back for more. ZZ Top’s bread and butter has always been straight-ahead rock with a healthy dose of blues, and as such the contributions of Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard cannot be overstated. An oft-discussed aspect of the band’s output has been its simplicity. With only three musicians and an adherence to a tried-and-true formula, it may appear that the capacity for variation is limited, and there is an argument to be made in defense of this point. However, to truly understand the idea behind the band’s signature sound, one must work backwards to the records of the artists who laid the blueprint not only for blues rock, but for rock music itself.
There is no definitive list of these musical pioneers, but artists such Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker were essential in the development of what we know today as rock music. Much of the work done by these musical giants was based in a repetitive twelve-bar format with few chord changes and an emphasis on groove. This approach is what makes Dusty Hill’s contributions to rock music so substantial. Like so many great players before him, Hill’s intention was always to serve the song, and his playing reflected that. He would often commit to the root notes within the grooves of songs, remaining in the pocket and holding down the low-end, leaving bandmates Gibbons and Beard to stretch out more on their own instruments. Along with feel and simplicity Hill also brought an invaluable swing to the proceedings, often emphasizing the upbeat to propel songs forward and make them danceable. This can be heard in two of the band’s signature songs “Tush” and “La Grange”, the former on which Hill served as lead vocalist.
ZZ Top played together for over fifty years and established themselves as one of the most influential acts in rock. The band operated less like three individuals playing various instruments and more like three pieces to one machine. Any one element could be seen as less than significant on its own merits but as is often the case, the whole was always more substantial than the sum of its parts. The band took to the stage Friday for the first time since the dramatic shift in personnel which frontman Gibbons acknowledged while addressing the Tuscaloosa audience saying: “Got a new guy up here, as you know. Dusty gave me the directive. My friend, your pal, [longtime ZZ Top guitar tech] Elwood Francis is gonna hold is down behind me.” While it would appear that the band are not ready to hang it up as a live act just yet, we can only assure that things will not be same following the loss of such a crucial element in the music that has brought joy to so many. Our thoughts are with the family and bandmates of Dusty Hill during this difficult time.
Cameron Gunnoe
