Dusty Hill, the thundering, bearded bassist of the Texas blues-rock legend ZZ Top, has died Tuesday. He was 72.AdvertisementThe group posted on Facebook that they were saddened to hear today that Dusty Hill, our Compadre, 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 ZZ Top. That Blues Shuffle in C will always be our connection.Your presence will be greatly missed, amigo, concluded the ZZ Tops survivors' statement.Hill was born in Dallas, Texas in 1949. He was a well-known member of Dallas' rock scene during the 1960s. Hill played in many bands with his future drummer Frank Beard. Strangely, Hill and Beard were also part of The Zombies fake, which was formed after the band's breakup in order to make money on the Zombies chart success.Hill joined ZZ Top just before the release of their debut album, ZZ Tops First. Hill was not their first bassist but he became a staple of the band over the next 50 years. Their career saw Hill, Billy Gibbons (guitarist) and Beard become one of the most consistent lineups ever in rock history.ZZ Top released their landmark album Tres Hombres two years after their debut. The album, which featured the hit single La Grange and went gold, was their first to reach the Billboard 200's top 10. Rolling Stone also ranked the album as one of the 500 best albums ever.Hill was unable to keep up with the demands of the post-Tres Hombres era, which led to a three year break. He took a job at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Hill said that he just wanted to feel normal. Hill said that while I didn't want others to think I was too full of my self, the most important thing was that I didn't want to feel like I was. It was a way for me to feel grounded.The 1970s were a less successful period for the group, but the 1980s saw them become more famous than ever. The band's trademark facial hair made them a household name on MTV, and they released 1983's Eliminator. The album was a huge hit and featured the classic singles Sharp Dressed Man, Gimme All Your Lovin and Legs. It also became the only Diamond album by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).Although Eliminator was a major hit, their subsequent albums were a huge success and continued to climb the rock charts. Afterburner, a synth-heavy album, was certified platinum five times and sold more than 5,000,000 copies.AdvertisementThe band enjoyed continued success on classic and modern rock radio over the next 30 years. Keith Richards inducted ZZ Top into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2004. La Futura, the band's final studio album, reached number six on U.S. charts.The band continued to tour despite their declining popularity among mainstream audiences. The trio has played over 3,000 shows throughout their careers. The band, which was all in their 60s at the time, performed more than 130 shows in 2016.AdvertisementLos tres hombres' troubadour mentality eventually took its toll. Hill was on tour in 2014 when he fell and hurt his hip. The group had to cancel due to Hill's need for a hip replacement. Hill had to withdraw from the group earlier this week due to a hip injury. The group issued a statement regarding Hill's absence. It stated that Dusty insisted that the show must continue!
