Dusty Hill, ZZ Top's long-time bassist, has passed away, TMZ has learned.According to his bandmates Frank Beard and Billy Gibbons, Dusty died at home in Houston, Texas.They wrote, "We are saddened to learn that Dusty Hill, our Compadre, has died in his sleep at Houston, TX." Along with millions of ZZ Top fans worldwide, we will be missing your steady presence, your kind nature, and your unwavering commitment to providing a monumental bottom to the Top'. We will always be connected to the "Blues Shuffle In C" song. The boys add that they will miss you greatly.It is unclear if Dusty's sudden death is related to a recent health scare -- namely, a hip injury he suffered in the last week or so. This forced him to cancel a string tour across the U.S.A with his bandmates.We are waiting for your permission before loading the Facebook Post.ZZT posted about the setback on Facebook a while back, writing: "ZZ Top, Billy, Frank, and Frank would like to inform you that Dusty, their fearless Bass player is making a brief detour to Texas to address a hip problem. They are awaiting a quick recovery and will have him back as soon as possible. They replaced Dusty by Elwood Francis, who had been playing in his place.Dusty's death has not been discussed by the group. The group has a show in Simpsonville, SC scheduled for Wednesday night. However, something tells us it will be cancelled in light of the tragic news.Dusty was one of the founding members of ZZ Top. He served as the lead bass player and second lead vocalist for the band since 1969. He is also one of the famous sunglass-wearing, bearded men that make up the trio.Although they started out as a blues band, they eventually switched to a rock sound that helped them break into the mainstream in 1970s and '80s. ZZ Top has produced a staggering 15 albums in their story career. They are also well-decorated and have been pillars of the music genre for decades.ZZ Top was also inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They have been recognized by various music organizations in Texas, particularly their home state. Their commercial success has been phenomenal, with many of their records reaching gold, platinum, multiplatinum, and even one diamond offering in the 1983 classic "Eliminator."This one was their biggest hit, "Gimme All Your Lovin'," along with other hits like "Sharp Dressed Man", "Legs", "Got Me Under Pressure" etc.ZZ Top, including Dusty, has not released a new album in 2012 but continues to entertain fans around the globe.Play video content 8/13/19 at TMZ.comWhen they were fresh from a press tour to promote a documentary about their lives and careers, we last spoke with Dusty and Billy on TMZ Live in 2019. The men are always a good humorist and crack jokes about what cuts they have (or didn't) see.Dusty's last words are very timely in this clip. He said that he had "lived it" so far as the doc covered. So seeing an earlier version of the clip didn't really make any difference to them.He lived, indeed. Dusty was 72.
