ZZ Top’s Current Bassist Says Humbly, “I’ll Never Be In The Band, It’s Dusty’s Thing”

ZZ Top bassist Elwood Francis was initially just supposed to fill in for a few shows back in 2021 while the band’s co-founder, Dusty Hill, recovered from an illness. But when Hill died a few weeks later, Francis –  the group’s onetime roadie – was named ZZ Top’s permanent bassist. All these years later, Francis still doesn’t feel that he’s officially in the band.

“When I first started doing it, Dusty was just sick and going home for a few weeks,” Francis said in a new interview with Guitar World. “It was entirely different. I didn’t have to worry about the weight of the crown, because I was just helping. We’d done some gigs when Dusty passed…by that time, I wouldn’t say I was comfortable – because I’m still not f**king comfortable. Dusty is their bass player. I’m not the bass player. I’m not in the band. I’ll never be in the band. I shouldn’t be…It’s Dusty’s thing. Sure, I’ll still play with them – but it’s a weird thing.” (Ultimate Classic Rock)