Dusty Hill 1949-2021
Dusty Hill, bassist for the southern rock/blues band ZZ Top passed away in his sleep Tuesday while resting from a recent hip issue. And with his passing the hearts of millions of fans of the low/deep end tones of his Fender or John Bolin bass guitars.
While not the flashiest showman or the most complicated bassist he was a rock. A rock that laid down the bluesy bass lines to some of the most iconic songs in rock ‘n roll history.
He was 1/3 of a power trio that was one of the most enduring lineups ever (the lineup hadn’t changed since 1970 when Hill joined the band with drummer Frank Beard, replacing original bassist Billy Ethridge, though Ethridge never appeared on any of the band’s studio albums).
The band influenced so many musicians from rock to blues to country and tributes have poured in from guitarists Paul Stanley and George Lynch, Billy Corgan, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea, Cheap Trick, Paul Young, David Coverdale, Jeff Scott Soto, John Fogerty, Warren Haynes, Tony Iommi, Blackstone Cherry, Orianthi…(Breathe) As well as Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Vernon Reid, Joe Bonamassa, Foo Fighters, etc. The list goes on and on. Even non musicians paid tribute as Texas’ governor Greg Abbott also paid tribute via Twitter. They were so iconic and timeless that director Robert Zemeckis had the band play a fiddle band performing an acoustic version of their song “Doubleback” set in the old west in 1885 in the movie Back to the Future III. (I hope you all remember that scene. And when they spun their guitars and the drum around on their belts… and Marty’s eyes when he saw that… well, It’s still my favorite part of the movie.)
For me it was the simplicity of their songs, combined with the complex bluesy guitar solos of guitarist Billy Gibbons, the deep end bass lines of Hill and the powerful, yet again simple, drums of Beard, that grabbed me by the neck and said “listen!” Gibbons always joked that they only played three chords their entre career. But they made the most out those three chords and then some. The songs were catchy. I mean c’mon, how can you hear songs like “Gimme All Your Lovin'”, “Cheap Sunglasses”, or “Sharp Dressed man” and not move some part of your body in rhythm with the song?
Hill took the lead vocals for a handful of the band’s songs, most notably their 1975 hit “Tush” but he was most essential in one of the tightest rhythm sections in rock.
After performing the first three shows of the band’s current tour that just started this month. He pulled himself out of the lineup and urged the band to continue with the tour with longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis. The band played a handful of shows before Hill’s passing. And after one gig was cancelled it is being reported that the band will go on with Francis as the permanent replacement, per Dusty’s wishes. Gibbons reportedly said HIll commented “The show must go on.” And so it shall. But it will never be the same without Dusty. They held the status of the longest-standing band with the original (recordings) lineup intact. And having been born just one year before the band began I had the feeling of “There are few things constant in this world: Death, taxes, don’t talk politics unless you are looking for an argument, and ZZ Top’s lineup”.
I was fortunate enough to see them play about a dozen times, or so. And even more fortunate to photograph them at least six times. So, I would like to share some of my favorite shots of Hill over the years. R.I.P. Dusty.
