ZZ Top's 2022 Canadian Tour Will Go On Without Dusty Hill

They recently rescheduled their 50th anniversary dates for 2022

BY Calum SlingerlandPublished Jul 29, 2021

Following the death of Dusty Hill yesterday, ZZ Top have shared that they will honour their late friend and longtime bassist by following through on tour plans for 2021 and 2022, including their recently rescheduled dates in Canada.

Last week, ZZ Top announced that Hill would be leaving their 50th anniversary trek "on a short detour back to Texas, to address a hip issue." It was revealed that the band's guitar tech of over two decades, Elwood Francis, would handle slide guitar, bass guitar and harmonica in Hill's stead.

"Per Dusty's request 'The show must go on!' the band's Billy Gibbons said. "And with Elwood to our right, rest assured ZZ Top will deliver their good time, signature show...Billy's big guitar, crushing drums from Mr. Beard, and Elwood securing the bottom end continues the delivery with those famous three chords we all dig."

Following news of Hill's passing, Gibbons shared the band's intentions to stay on the road, per radio personality Eddie Trunk. "As Dusty said upon his departure, 'Let the show go on!'.... With respect, we'll do well to get beyond this and honor his wishes," Gibbons told Truck. ZZ Top will continue touring the United States throughout the rest of 2021, ahead of making their way to Canada in 2022. As previously reported, shows are set for British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

Hill passed away in his sleep at his home in Houston, though a cause of death was not revealed. He was 72. 

"We, along with legions of ZZ Top fans around the world, will miss your steadfast presence, your good nature and enduring commitment to providing that monumental bottom to the 'Top'," the band's Gibbons and Frank Beard wrote in a statement.

In 2019, ZZ Top were the subject of Banger Films' ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas. Read Exclaim!'s interview with director Sam Dunn.

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