By now you’ve heard that ZZ Top founder and lead guitarist Billy Gibbons will drop a new LP and has signed on for a Vegas residency later this year, giving us a great reason to share more fun facts about ZZ Top.
First of all, they are the longest running American rock band that has not had a lineup change. Did you know that they appeared in the movie ‘Back to the Future III’ as a square dance band?
In the early days, they opened for big stars like Janis Joplin, and their first concert together came in 1070 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Beaumont, Texas, proving that even ZZ Top started on the ground floor. They’re not in it for the money, as Gillette offered them millions of dollars to shave off their beards, which they declined. Yes, the only member of ZZ Top that does NOT have a beard is the drummer named Frank Beard.
ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and has earned 11 gold records and seven platinum records.
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