Why will Frank Beard be missing from ZZ Top's tour? All about John Douglas who will act as an interim drummer for the band

ZZ Top is currently embarking on their The Elevation tour, which began in 2024 with a US leg and then again in 2025 from March 5, 2025. The tour, which will feature shows across North America and Australia in 2025 as of the writing of this article, was started by the band with their main lineup, including Frank Beard.

However, Frank Beard has now stepped aside to attend to an immediate health issue and is being replaced by John Douglas, as per the statement released by ZZ Top on their official Instagram page on March 16, 2025:

"Shelter Music Group, ZZ Top’s management, has announced the band’s drummer, Mr. Frank Beard, has temporarily stepped away from the current tour to attend a health issue requiring his focus in the near term. Beard, along with fellow ZZ Top members Billy F Gibbons and Elwood Francis, presently on the Elevation tour since March 5 -"

The statement by ZZ Top continues:

"-have engaged fellow Texan and longtime tech member, percussionist and drummer, John Douglas, for the interim. Mr. Douglas has maintained a close relationship with Beard and the bandmates, having served with the group in the past...He(Frank) is looking forward to a speedy recovery."

John Douglas is a tour drummer and painter known for customizing and painting drums for big rock bands. The drummer is also a photographer, mainly doing portraits in Black and White of bands and their bands. According to his website, he has worked with bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns N’ Roses, Pantera, Maná, and Van Halen.

His website showcases sketches and portraits of celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, Marilyn Monroe, Keith Moon, and Amy Winehouse, as well as Robert Plant and Stevie Nicks, among others.

---

ZZ Top's tour: dates and venues

The dates and venues for ZZ Top's tour are given below:

• March 18, 2025 – Hiawasse, Georgia at Anderson Music Hall
• March 19, 2025 – North Charleston, South Carolina at North Charleston Performing Arts
• March 21, 2025 – Fayetville, North Carolina at Crown Theater
• March 22, 2025 – August, Goergia at Bell Auditorium
• March 23, 2025 – Montegomary, Alabama at Montegomary Peforming Arts
• March 26, 2025 – Tifton, Georgia at John Hunt Auditorium
• March 28, 2025 – Bowling Green, Kentucky at SkyPac
• March 29, 2025 – Elizabeth, Indiana at Caesars South Indiana
• April 1, 2025 – Nashville, Indiana at Brown County Music Center
• April 2, 2025 – Shipshewa, Indiana at Blue Gate Performing Arts
• April 3, 2025 – Flint, Michigan at FIM Capitol Theater
• April 5, 2025 – Champaign, Illinois at State Farm Center
• April 6, 2025 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin at The Riverside Theater
• April 8, 2025 – Cincinatti, Ohio at The Andrew J Brady Music Center
• April 10, 2025 – Cleveland, Mississippi at Bologna Performing Arts Center
• April 11, 2025 – Cape Girardeau, Missouri at Show Me Center
• April 12, 2025 – Forest City, Arkansas at East Arkansas Community College

ZZ Top Australia and New Zealand tour leg:

• April 26, 2025 – Bendigo, Australia at Bendigo Jockey Club
• April 27, 2025 – Mornington, Australia at Mornington Racecourse
• April 29, 2025 – Adelaide, Australia at AEC Arena
• May 1, 2025 – Perth, Australia at Langley Park
• May 3, 2025 – Hunter Valley, Australia at Roche Estate
• May 4, 2025 – Wollongong, Australia at Stuart Park Wollongong
• May 7, 2025 – Melbourne, Australia at Margeret Court Arena
• May 10, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia at Sandstone Point Hotel
• May 11, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia at Sandstone Point Hotel
• May 13, 2025 – Sydney, Australia at ICC Sydney Theater
• May 17, 2025 – Auckland, New Zealand at Spark Arena
• May 18, 2025 – Wellington, New Zealand at TSB Arena

ZZ Top North America leg:

• June 1, 2025 – Victoria, British Columbia at Save on Foods Memorial Center
• June 3, 2025 – Kelowna, British Columbia at Prospera Palace
• June 4, 2025 – Tsuut’ina, Alberta at Grey Eagle Resort and Casino
• June 6, 2025 – Enoch, Alberta at River Cree Resort & Casino
• June 7, 2025 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at SaskaTel Center
• June 8, 2025 – Winnipeg, Manitoba at Canada Life Center
• June 10, 2025 – Moorhead, Minnesota at Bluestone Amphitheater
• June 12, 2025 – Waite Park, Minnesota at The Ledge Waite Park Amphitheater
• June 13, 2025 – Carlton, Minnesota at Black Bear Casino Resort
• June 18, 2025 – Windsor, Ontario at Caesars Windsor The Colosseum
• June 20, 2025 – Pickering, Ontario at Pickering Casino Resort at The Arena
• June 21, 2025 – Toronto, Ontario at Great Canadian Toronto- The Theater
• June 22, 2025 – Hamilton, Ontario at FirstOntario Center
• June 25, 2025 – Laval, Quebec at Place Bell
• June 26, 2025 – Quebec City, Quebec at Agora Du Port Quebec
• June 27, 2025 – Moncton, New Brunswick at Casino New Brunswick at The Centre
• August 2, 2025 – Sioux City, Iowa at Hard Rock City
• August 4, 2025 – Morrison, Colorado at Red Rocks Amphitheater
• August 22, 2025 – Coquitlam, British Columbia at Great Canadian Casino Vancouver
• August 23, 2025 – Richmond, British Columbia at River Rock Casino

ZZ Top released their latest album back in 2012. Titled La Futura, the fifteenth studio album of the band was their first album since 2003's Mescalero. The album will be followed by the band's sixteenth studio album sometime shortly.