With his signature beard and African headgear, Billy F Gibbons is instantly recognizable. He’s best known as the centerpiece and one third of ZZ Top, the band that came together in 1969 and has stayed part of the American musical landscape ever since – the longest running major rock band still composed of its original members, now celebrating its 52nd year. Along with the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gibbons is unquestionably one of the finest blues-rock guitarists to ever emerge from Texas.
Apart from his work with ZZ Top, he’s recorded with such notable artists as B.B. King, Les Paul, Queens of the Stone Age, Shemekia Copeland, Kid Rock, Alice Cooper, Johnny Winter, John Mayall, Sue Foley and others. In 2015, Concord Records released Billy’s debut solo album, the Afro-Cuban flavored Perfectamundo, followed by 2018’s The Big Bad Blues, named Blues Rock Album of the Year.
On the heels of his third outing, Hardware (June 4), Billy chats with Dave Michaels about his journey into the California High Desert and the recording of the album with his band - Guns N’ Roses/Velvet Revolver/The Cult veteran drummer Matt Sorum and guitarist Austin Hanks whose toured and played with ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bad Company, and dozens more.
