ZZ Top guitarist Billy F. Gibbons gave a long and heartfelt interview to Variety, talking about the events leading up to bassist Dusty Hill's recent death. Hill had started on the band's recent tour, but stepped back after only a couple of dates, before dying in his sleep on July 27th at age 72.
Gibbons, who along with Frank Beard — the band's drummer for over 50 years — is carrying on, per Hill's wishes with his bass tech taking his place, 30-year-band veteran, Elwood Francis.
Billy F. Gibbons spoke about how he was dealing with the loss of his closest music partner for over five decades: “Passing through the grieving process, I can tell you it’s no less than anyone else that loses a good friend or a close associate. And at the same time, knowing that this came up so suddenly — going to bed and not waking up. . . That was the luck of the draw. He was in, and he was out.”