[1] Other bands Beard and Hill played with early in their careers included the Cellar Dwellers, the Hustlers, the Warlocks, and American Blues.

After honing their trademark "Texas boogie-blues-rock" style, they released ZZ Top's First Album on London Records in January 1971.

Beard married long-time girlfriend Catherine Alexander in April 1978 and divorced July 1981.

[3] After achieving success with ZZ Top in the late 1970s, Beard began spending a lot of money on drugs, including LSD, cocaine and heroin.

[6] Beard plays Tama drums, Paiste cymbals, Promark drumsticks, and Remo drumheads.