ZZ Top has been around for over 50 years. They sing our eighth favorite song about appendages, Legs! They are one of the most recognizable bands around the world because of guitarist Billy Gibbons and bassist Dusty Hill’s signature beards.

We’re sad to learn of the passing of ZZ Top’s original bassist and beard, Dusty Hill. We lost a legend, someone who brought us all closer to the blues. He was the residential groove-master behind hits like La Grange, Cheap Sunglasses & more. His influence can be felt across many genres of music and the outpouring of tributes on social media proved how much he was loved by fans & colleagues.

We wanted to share our favourite ZZ Top songs and we want to know yours! Share your favourite ZZ Top songs & memories with us on FACEBOOK (@jack969calgary).

Larry – JACK Up The 80s

The first ZZ Top song I ever heard was TUSH. What? A band that can sing that like it’s a classy tribute?

Spinning the band on the radio all my life gave me an introduction to blues rock music from one of its coolest sources. The band members had a shared love of deep blues music and all listened to the Boarder Radio station called “The X”. The AM station with HUGE power and just over the border in Mexico could send its influence to most of the Southern US. “I heard It On The X!”.

One evening in the 80’s Frank Beard was watching TV and after a few hours phoned up Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill to get them to tune in and watch this “incredible music special” that was on TV. The guys had discovered MTV and quickly tried to figure out how to get on it. The ZZ Top Eliminator era was born and with the vision of their manager Bill Hamm they went on to reinvent themselves as the good time party band but now on Video and MTV surrounded by 80’s fans and cool cars with that key chain that everybody wanted their keys on.

In Vancouver years later JACK 96.9 presented a show with ZZ Top and onstage Billy Gibbons said he loved Vancouver and was happy to bring the “Same three guys playing the same three chords for 50 years” to the Coliseum.

ZZ Top showed us we could reinvent ourselves and move to cooler new situations and that people would come along for the Eliminator Ride.

R.I.P. Dusty.

Tush (1975 – Fandango!)

Sharp Dressed Man (1983 – Eliminator)

We’ll never be recognized as being the sharpest dressed anywhere we go, but this one always gets us going.

Gimme All Your Lovin’ (1983 – Eliminator)

They don’t write ’em like this anymore. Great beat, catchy chorus. It’s the perfect windows down, road tripping song for a summer long weekend.

Doubleback (1990 – Back To The Future III)

Who knew ZZ Top has been around since 1885! The band makes a great cameo in Back To The Future III at the Hill Valley Festival as they celebrate their new clock tower!

Legs (1983 – Eliminator)

Our Music Guru Corbet selected this incredible extended version of ‘LEGS’ that was featured on JACK Up The 80s with Larry. This one should be called “Long Legs”.

Heard It On The X (1975 – Fandango!)

LaGrange (1973 – Tres Hombres)

 

RIP Dusty. Thank you for making the sweetest music.

 

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