ZZ Top

ZZ Top formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969, after Billy Gibbons' earlier band, Moving Sidewalks, broke up. With Dusty Hill on bass and Frank Beard on drums, they built a sound around Gibbons' blues-rooted guitar and a tight rhythm section. Their first album arrived in 1971, and Tres Hombres (1973) and Fandango! (1975) brought "La Grange" and "Tush", both still staples of classic rock radio. Their live shows made their name in North America, notably the Worldwide Texas Tour of 1976–77.

A new look and direction came in 1979, with Gibbons and Hill in sunglasses and chest-length beards. After experimenting with synthesizers and drum machines on El Loco, they became international stars with Eliminator (1983) and Afterburner (1985). Videos for "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Legs" were all over MTV. The band went into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and released 15 studio albums, the latest being La Futura in 2012.