While speaking on the Mohr Stories podcast, ZZ Top‘s Billy Gibbons claimed that back in the day, Gillette razor company offered him and Dusty Hill $1,000,000.00 each to shave off their famous long beards for an advertisement.
The band’s co-founder of the the iconic pop/rock group band alongside late bassist-vocalist Dusty, who died in 2021, aged 72, and drummer Frank Beard, 76 – admits the safety razors company deny the claim, stating
“It’s true. “[Gillette] deny it.” “It was a million dollars per man.” and insisting that he and Hill rejected the offer after a conversation with music executive Bob Merlis, the 76-year old guitarist adding:
“But we called Mr. Merlis.” “I said, ‘Bob, we got this offer.’ ‘What?’ I said, ‘We’ve been offered a million dollars each to shave on TV.'” “‘Well,’ he said, ‘The money’s good.’ He said, ‘You might as well consider doing it, but I’m not so sure you guys – any of you guys – know what’s under there.’ ” “So we passed. We passed, and our fans loved it. Word got out.”
After fellow guitarist Hill passed away in his sleep at his home in Houston, Texas, in July of 2021, Gibbons and Beard took to social media with a the following formal statement:
“We are saddened by the news today that our compadre, Dusty Hill, has passed away in his sleep at home in Houston, TX.” “We, along with legions of ZZ Top fans around the world, will miss your steadfast presence, your good nature and enduring commitment to providing that monumental bottom to the ‘Top’.” “We will forever be connected to that ‘Blues Shuffle in C’. You will be missed greatly, amigo.”
Explained how Dusty would’ve wanted the band to continue playing along with introducing his replacement Elwood Francis to the audience, days after Hill’s passing, the pair paid tribute to the bassist when they played their first concert, stating “We’re gonna have a good time in here tonight.” “Got a new guy up here, as you know. Dusty gave me the directive.” “My friend, your pal, Elwood Francis is gonna hold it down behind me.”
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: Ralph Arvesen