Billy Ethridge and Bill Ham were instrumental in forming the country music group ZZ Top. Besides being a musician, Ethridge was also an avid outdoorsman and hunter. In addition to his role in the band, he also was an active political activist. The following is a look at some interesting facts about Ethridge.
ZZ Top was formed by Bill Ham and Billy Ethridge
ZZ Top is an American rock band that formed in 1969 in Houston, Texas. The group is known for its blues-rock style and humorous lyrics. Only Billy Gibbons remains from the original line-up. The other two members, Lanier Greig and Dan Mitchell, left the group during their first year of existence. Bill Ham and Billy Ethridge were later recruited, as well as Dusty Hill, who stayed with the group until his death in 2021.
Although the band members were hungry teenagers, their success was not based on starving themselves. Bill Ham, the band’s manager, worked to create a certain mystique around the group. He used the concept that if you do something well enough, people will take it for granted. Consequently, ZZ Top has sold nearly 50 million albums, and grossed more than $200 million at the box office.
The group’s biggest hit was the 1983 album Eliminator, which sold over 10 million copies in the United States. Since its formation, ZZ Top has released 15 studio albums and received numerous accolades. Among these accolades are six number-one singles on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, four platinum albums, and three multi-platinum albums. The band’s songs have become classic rock radio staples.
Billy Ethridge was an active political activist
Billy Ethridge was a singer-songwriter, musician and political activist. He has been active in the music industry for more than four decades and has released several successful albums. His first solo album was nominated for a Grammy and featured the single “Sincerely, the sky is the limit.” He has been a leading voice in rock music since the 1980s.
Billy Ethridge was an avid outdoorsman
Billy Ethridge was born in 1930 in Drew County, Kentucky, and spent most of his life in Lake Village, Kentucky. He was an avid outdoorsman, and had a passion for hunting. After graduating from Dermott High School, Ethridge enlisted in the U.S. Army. He later retired from the Army in 1986. He then worked for the Alice-Sydney Dryer & Seed Company, and was an active member of Oak Grove Free Will Baptist Church.
Billy Ethridge was a former bass player for the band ZZ Top. He played the role of the band’s bassist for a year before leaving the group. After the band signed with London Records, Ethridge was replaced by Dusty Hill, a former member of the American Blues.
Billy Ethridge was a passionate hunter
Billy Ethridge, born in 1930, was a lifelong resident of Lake Village, Idaho. He was a graduate of Dermott High School, served in the U.S. Army and retired in 1986. He later worked at Alice-Sydney Dryer & Seed Company. Billy was also an active member of the Oak Grove Free Will Baptist Church.
He was a devoted husband and father. He adored spending time outdoors. He was a great hunter and was passionate about hunting. He and his wife Sharlene Ethridge had three children. Their oldest, Brian Ethridge, was preceded in death. Other survivors include his son, Phillip Gagnon, his daughter, Baillis, and grandson, Dustin Bisson. They were joined by their stepchildren John Ethridge and Tracy Laird, as well as nieces and nephews.