Late ZZ Top Bassist Dusty Hill’s Memorabilia Collection To Be Auctioned
Julien’s Auctions is hosting ‘The Collection Of Dusty Hill Of ZZ Top‘, a three-day auction event in tribute to the late Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame bass legend from one of the best-selling acts and biggest touring bands of all time, who sold over 50 million albums worldwide.
The year-end single artist event culminating Julien’s 20th-anniversary celebration will take place on Thursday, 7 December Friday, 8 December and Saturday, 9 December 2023 live at the legendary musician and vocalist’s birthplace of Dallas, Texas at the auction venue 915 Slocum and online at Julien’s Live.
The auction will feature nearly 1,200 lots showcasing the rock icon’s spectacular one-of-a-kind instruments, custom made western style wardrobe worn on stage and in appearances, gear, creative documents, signature style items such as his favorite cowboy hats, boots and buckles, memorabilia and more from his groundbreaking five-decade career coming directly from Dusty Hill’s personal collection.
Another remarkable offering is Hill’s signature 1953 Fender Precision bass guitar, and most played instrument by Hill out of all the guitars in this collection (estimate: $80,000 – $120,000). The bass was heavily used by Hill and served as his go to stage guitar for numerous ZZ Top live performances and in the studio until Dusty retired the bass in 2012 due to road wear. This instrument in butterscotch finish with black pickguard in all original 7/10 condition, appeared on the cover of ZZ TOP’s 1975 album Fandango! and comes in its period tweed case with a great deal of wear and an assortment of stickers.
A portion of the auction proceeds will benefit MusiCares and their mission to help the humans behind music because music gives so much to the world. Offering preventive, emergency, and recovery programs, MusiCares is a safety net supporting the health and welfare of the music community.
From ZZ TOP’s auspicious beginnings in the early 1970s to their breakthrough superstardom and era defining MTV videos in the 1980s and massively successful tours in the 20th to 21st century playing in sold out arenas all over the world, founding member, bassist, vocalist and keyboard player Dusty Hill powered the trio to the rock and roll greatness and pop cultural strata that put the Texas blues rock sound on the map.
Born May 19, 1949 in Dallas, Texas, Joe Michael “Dusty” Hill began singing with his older brother Rocky at the age of 8 and grew up listening to the blues. He switched from playing cello to bass at the age of 13 playing in local bars with various Dallas bands until 1968 when Hill relocated to Houston. There he teamed up with his former bandmate/drummer Frank Beard and guitarist-vocalist Billy Gibbons and the legendary lineup of ZZ TOP was born.
During Hill’s remarkable 50-year career playing solely with ZZ Top’s original band members, the trio released 15 studio albums, including 1983’s Eliminator that catapulted ZZ Top into superstardom with the album’s trifecta of monster hits Sharp Dressed Man, Gimme All Your Lovin’ and Legs. In its wake, 1985’s Afterburner that went platinum five times over and the platinum 1990 album Recycler and platinum 1994 album Antenna. In addition, Hill appeared in the films Back To The Future Part III and Mother Goose Rock ‘N’ Rhyme and played himself on TV’s King Of The Hill and The Drew Carey Show. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with ZZ Top in 2004.