ZZ TOP Frontman BILLY GIBBONS Closes Out Season 4 Of Speakeasy; Preview Video Streaming
February 11, 2019, 5 years ago
In the season finale of public television’s critically acclaimed conversation series, Speakeasy, Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Billy Gibbons is joined by WFUV DJ Eric Holland. The pair discuss Gibbons’ career as the front man and guitarist for Texas trio ZZ Top and his sophomore solo album The Big Bad Blues. Speakeasy airs on Public Television and public television’s WORLD Channel. Air dates and times are available here. Watch a preview video below.
“In our fourth season of Speakeasy we continued to create an environment in which all of the guests could feel comfortable to let loose and share stories from their early days and noteworthy moments throughout their careers,” said Don Maggie, Executive Producer. “We couldn’t have asked for a better season finale than Billy Gibbons talking with Eric Holland; the episode truly encompasses everything that Speakeasy is designed to be. We are looking forward to seeing where the next collection of artists and their stories take us.”
When one thinks of the most influential rock musicians on the planet, Billy Gibbons is a name that should come to the forefront of any such list. Before becoming one of rock’s most recognizable figures, Billy and his first band Moving Sidewalks gained recognition by opening up for The Jimi Hendrix Experience on their first ever headline tour. On that tour, Jimi himself taught a 17-year-old Billy how to play the opening lick to “Foxy Lady,” a story that he recounts on-stage to this very day. In 1969, Billy met bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard to form the classic lineup of boogie & blues rock mainstays ZZ Top. The band found great success through the ever-shifting landscape of music by embracing emerging styles of the times, incorporating elements of synth-rock, punk, and new wave into their newer material. The group not only secured six No. 1 singles, but also won countless MTV Music Video awards for songs like “Legs” and “Sharp Dressed Man.” ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
Aside from his work in ZZ Top, Billy Gibbons has collaborated with a slew of rock and blues heavyweights, including Queens Of The Stone Age, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, and Jack White among others. His solo album, The Big Bad Blues (following Perfectamundo), is out now via Concord Records. The album and tour details are available here.
Season 4 of Speakeasy features an all new group of iconic artists, Grammy Award winners, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, and beloved musicians engaging in intimate conversations between friends. Each episode gives fans an inside look into some never before told stories from some of the world’s most prolific performers including Sting, Shaggy, Joe Elliott, Lenny Kravitz, members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Michael McDonald, and Billy Gibbons. Full episodes will also be available here