According to a statement from the band, Beard passed away on Monday, August 17, in hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, surrounded by family. No cause of death has been disclosed. His health had declined in recent months, the band was forced to cancel a Hollywood Bowl show on August 5, and shows in Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs were canceled following his death. Back in March 2025, the band had already announced Beard was “temporarily” stepping away from touring due to health issues.

Band founder Billy Gibbons said in a statement to Variety: “Today, Elwood and I lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great and true son of Texas. His signature backbeat was key to keeping ZZ on top. The band of which he was part for six decades is going to keep on keeping on as he had wished.”

Born June 11, 1949, in Frankston, Texas, Beard played in the bands American Blues, The Warlocks, Hustlers and Cellar Dwellers before ZZ Top. It was Beard who, in late 1969, suggested to Billy Gibbons, then a frontman searching for a rhythm section — that he audition bassist Dusty Hill. The trio went on to become one of the most enduring and recognizable lineups in rock history, continuing until Hill’s death in 2021, after which Elwood Francis joined the band. While not technically a founding member, Beard had been with the group since their debut album.

Away from music, Beard kept a much quieter life than his rockstar image suggested, he owned and ran a ranch in Richmond, Texas, and split his free time between golfing and car racing, with a particular love for Ferraris. He married his wife, Debbie Meredith, in 1982; the couple had twin sons together, and Beard also helped raise a daughter from a previous marriage. Fittingly, given his name, he was the only member of ZZ Top who never grew the long beard that became the band’s trademark look.