ZZ Top’s Dusty Hill Is Now Sidelined For North American Tour

A Longtime Guitar Tech Stepped In For Hill

After sustaining a leg injury that forced him to seek medical treatment, ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill has been temporarily sidelined from the band’s North American trek. In July 21, they were forced to cancel their gig at Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana and two days later on July 23 at the Village Commons in New Lenox, Illinois, ZZ Top played for the first time without Hill. He was replaced by longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis.

“The members of ZZ Top, Billy [Gibbons], and Frank [Beard], would like to share that Dusty, their fearless bass player, is on a short detour back to Texas to address a hip issue,” the band said in a statement posted on Facebook. “They await a speedy recovery and [to] have him back pronto.’

“Per Dusty’s request the show must go on!” they explained. “With that directive, ZZ Top has put the services of Mr. Elwood Francis, their trusted guitar tech of the past two decades, into play with his slide guitar, bass guitar and harmonica playing in full swing.”

“And with Elwood to our right, rest assured ZZ Top will deliver their good time, signature show,” Billy Gibbons added. “Elwood securing the bottom end continues the delivery [of] those famous three chords we all dig.”

Before this trek, the last time ZZ Top played a show live was on February 14, 2020 at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo.