ZZ Top played their first show after Beard’s death with touring drummer Michael Monahan (who had already been filling in for Beard before his death) at Austin’s ACL Live, which took place at the Moody Theater , on August 22, 2026.
Gibbons announced on the following day that the band would continue per Beard’s wishes, similar to Hill’s request in 2021.
On August 17, 2026, Beard died at the age of 77, leaving Gibbons as the only surviving member of ZZ Top’s classic lineup.
On February 7, 2026, Arnold died from the cancer in his sleep; his death was announced by the band later in the afternoon through a statement on their social media accounts. Arnold was paid tribute from the rock music community in his honor.
The band’s latest EP, Celebrate , was released on March 6, 2026.
and ended on November 22, 2025, in Biloxi .
The Elevation tour resumed on March 2, 2025, in New Orleans
In March 2025, Beard temporarily left the tour due to illness, and was replaced by ZZ Top’s longtime drum technician, John Douglas.
On May 28, 2025, the band cancelled upcoming shows in the UK and Europe, with Caleb sharing a video explaining he had broken his foot in a ‘freak accident’ and could not tour for eight weeks. The band made their return on July 18, performing three successive nights in support…
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On May 7, 2025, Brad Arnold announced that he had been diagnosed with Stage IV clear-cell renal-cell carcinoma , a form of kidney cancer that had metastasized to his lungs . The announcement was made via a video message on the band’s official social media platforms. As a result, all…
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