ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard has died at 77, just weeks after health problems forced the legendary rocker to step away from the stage.

Beard, who spent more than five decades behind the drum kit for one of America’s most recognizable rock bands, died Thursday while receiving hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, according to reports. Family members were reportedly by his side.

His death comes after months of concern about his health.

Earlier this year, Beard temporarily pulled out of ZZ Top’s touring schedule to undergo what the band described as a “health procedure.” His absence raised questions among longtime fans, especially after additional performances were affected.

ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons paid tribute to his longtime friend and bandmate, calling Beard one of rock music’s most naturally gifted drummers.

“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,” Gibbons said.

He said Beard’s unmistakable rhythm was a major part of the sound that helped turn ZZ Top into rock royalty.

Gibbons also made clear that the band plans to continue performing, saying that was what Beard wanted.

ZZ Top is expected to return to the stage this weekend with two shows at Austin’s Moody Theater as part of the Austin City Limits music festival.

The venue held special meaning for Beard, with the band describing it as one of his favorite places to perform and Austin as something of a second home.

However, scheduled concerts in Colorado Springs and Salt Lake City have been canceled.

Beard was born June 11, 1949, in Frankston, Texas, and started playing music while he was still in high school.

He eventually became part of the Dallas music scene, where he crossed paths with future ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill. The pair played together in several groups during the 1960s, including American Blues.

Beard joined guitarist Billy Gibbons in ZZ Top in 1969 and helped complete the band’s classic lineup by introducing Gibbons to Hill.

The chemistry was undeniable.

Together, Beard, Gibbons and Hill transformed ZZ Top into one of the biggest and most instantly recognizable rock acts of the 1970s and 1980s.

Beard provided the pounding beat behind classics including “La Grange,” “Tush,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs.”

Despite his last name, Beard was famously the only member of the classic trio who did not sport the enormous facial hair that became part of ZZ Top’s iconic look.

He played on all 15 of the band’s studio albums and remained a key part of ZZ Top for more than half a century.

His career was not without personal struggles.

ZZ Top took an extended break in the late 1970s, during which Beard addressed problems with addiction and substance abuse. He later returned sober and continued performing with the group for decades.

Beard married Debbie Meredith in 1982, and the couple had three children.

The drummer suffered another devastating loss in July 2021 when Hill died at 72.

Beard and Gibbons announced at the time that their longtime bandmate had died in his sleep at his Houston home, telling fans they had lost their “Compadre.”

Hill’s longtime guitar technician, Elwood Francis, later stepped in on bass and continued touring with Gibbons and Beard.

Now Beard’s death marks the end of another era for the Texas rock legends, leaving Gibbons as the sole surviving member of ZZ Top’s famous three-man lineup.

For generations of fans, however, Beard’s thunderous backbeat will remain permanently tied to the songs that made ZZ Top one of rock ’n’ roll’s most enduring bands.