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ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard has died at the age of 77.
PEOPLE confirmed that Beard died Monday, Aug. 17, at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, while receiving hospice care. His cause of death has not been disclosed.
In a statement, ZZ Top frontman Billy F. Gibbons mourned his longtime bandmate, describing Beard as a close friend, collaborator and "true son of Texas." He also praised the drummer's distinctive style, saying his signature backbeat played an essential role in the band's success.
Gibbons said ZZ Top would continue performing as Beard had wanted. In a statement shared Tuesday, Aug. 18, the band announced that it had canceled upcoming performances in Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs following Beard's death.
ZZ Top is scheduled to resume its current Big One! Tour this weekend with two performances in Austin, Texas, at Austin City Limits, one of Beard's favorite venues and a city he considered something of a second home.
Beard's death comes shortly after he stepped away from the band's summer tour because of illness. PEOPLE reported on Aug. 11 that the drummer was taking a leave of absence. He had also taken time away from the group in March for what was described as a "health procedure."
Born in 1949 and raised in Irving, Texas, Beard began playing drums at 15 while attending Irving High School. He soon met Dusty Hill, who would become his longtime bandmate. The pair initially performed together in several groups and backed blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins at folk venues.
When ZZ Top formed in 1969, Beard joined alongside Hill. The pair had already played together in groups including the Outlaws, Cellar Dwellers, Warlocks and American Blues.
Beard faced addiction and substance abuse early in his career and eventually took a three-year hiatus from music while working toward sobriety.
In 1982, Beard married Debbie Meredith. The couple welcomed twin sons, Rory and Nico, in 1985.
Throughout its career, ZZ Top released 15 studio albums and became one of the most recognizable rock bands in the world. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
Beard remained a central part of ZZ Top's signature sound for more than five decades, performing alongside Gibbons and Hill until Hill's death in 2021.
