Willie Robertson and the rest of the Duck Dynasty clan have been notable for their epic beards over the years, but they are also willing to give credit when credit is due. Now, following the death of longtime ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill, who died earlier this week, Robertson is paying tribute to the famous musician, as well as sharing memories about the OG beard grower.
Willie Robertson actually spent time with Dusty Hill on more than one occasion. In a brand new interview, he recalled how ZZ Top was actually the first show he ever went to as a child. Later on as an adult, he was able to spend time with the band on more than one occasion, even as part of the Duck Dynasty show.
Just a couple of years ago, Willie Robertson was present for ZZ Top’s 50th anniversary celebration and told Fox News that it was a celebration of all things beards, but also a celebration of getting to do the thing you love well into your seventies.
Our beards bowed down when we got in their presence because they had been running that look way longer than we had, that's for sure. When I was with them a couple of years ago, they were heading off to Europe to play for like two months or something, it was crazy. And I was thinking at the time, not a lot of people have their 70th birthday and then take off to Europe to keep working and keep doing what they love to do. And it's just a tribute to him and their lives, their passion and what they had. They had something good and they kept it together, kept the look, kept everything.
ZZ Top famously appeared on Duck Dynasty during the show’s run and was a part of the Season 11 and series finale in which they performed the hit single “Sharp Dressed Man.” Fans of the show will remember that song doubled as the theme song through the show’s run on A&E. You can see the now-infamous moment below.
To note, Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson cut off his long hair fairly recently, but he kept his precious long beard. He wasn’t the only major name to pay tribute to Dusty Hill this week after news broke he’d died in his sleep at the age of 72. Other famous names also paid tribute, including prominent musicians like Queen’s Brian May and other names in the world of entertainment, like Jason Momoa.
Prior to Dusty Hill's passing, he had been dealing with hip issues while the band toured. Earlier this month Elwood Francis had begun playing for him onstage while Hill went home to recover. He died days later Bandmate Billie Gibbons confirmed that Dusty would have wanted the show to go on without him and that the band will continue touring as ZZ Top.
