Some artists are remembered for their unique looks besides their powerful performances. For instance, the KISS members are known for their stage personas; Gene Simmons as the Demon and Paul Stanley as the Starchild. David Bowie is best remembered for his alter ego, Ziggy Stardust. Billy Gibbons is among those who have a trademark look: his black sunglasses and a chest-length beard he has worn since 1979.
Billy Gibbons shared this iconic apparel with his ZZ Top bandmate Dusty Hill until the drummer’s passing in 2021. The third band member, Frank ‘Beard,’ has preferred a mustache and sometimes a goatee, so it seems like he has been flexible about his beard. However, Billy has stuck to this look for over four decades. As it turns out, he refused to shave his beard even when offered a significant amount of money.
When we say Billy Gibbons, the first thing that comes to our minds is his iconic beard. However, they hadn’t decided on growing their beards to chest length when ZZ Top was initially formed. In fact, settling on this look took ten years for Billy and his bandmate Dusty. Hence, it wasn’t a planned move — it was only a coincidence.
According to the liner notes of ‘Rancho Texicano: The Very Best Of ZZ Top,’ the two realized they both let their beards grow long during their vacations. When they met after their trips, during which their looks had significantly changed, Dusty and Billy struggled to recognize each other. However, they later realized they should go for it and adopt this as their looks.
“I walk into the room, and I’m lookin’ at a guy I think I know,” Gibbons recalled the first time he saw Dusty Hill’s long beard. “My beard has grown to doormat proportions. And I realize that Dusty had done the same thing.”
Years passed, and in 1984, Gillette decided to approach the two for an ad campaign. They thought it would be a good idea to make the two shave their beards as it would draw lots of attention. Ultimately, Gilette offered Billy and Dusty $1,000,000 for this ad. However, the duo had no plans of losing their beards.
“No dice,” Gibbons told BraveWords about Gilette’s offer. “Even adjusted for inflation, this isn’t going to fly. The prospect of seeing oneself in the mirror clean-shaven is too close to a Vincent Price film… a prospect not to be contemplated, no matter the compensation.”
So, Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill didn’t sell their trademark look for $1,000,000. Sadly, Dusty passed away in 2021 at 72, and now Billy has the duty of preserving their legacy at all costs. There are a selected number of pictures of Billy and Dusty without a beard, but from the looks of it, it would be difficult for the fans to imagine the two without the chest long beards.
