My Summer With ZZ Top

Rock in peace Dusty Hill

It was the summer of 1979. I was young and dumb — I ‘borrowed’ my cousin’s car and drove halfway across the United States. California or bust. It was an act of teen rebellion in search of the elusive freedom I heard so much about. At sixteen, I was invincible. Nothing could hurt me, or so I thought.

What I ran into when I ran away were a lot of bad guys who were all too willing to take my innocence away without an ounce of regret.

• An old man who had just dropped his son off at UCLA offered me gas and something to eat if I spent the night in his RV with him. Uh no, I’d rather starve and walk!
• A pimp across the street from the homeless shelter where I spent the night accosted me on the nearby church steps trying to lure me into his car with weed. Sorry bud, I don’t smoke! A group of people that suddenly appeared at the church door scared him off.
• A big guy with a hunting knife said he didn’t have to let me leave after I gave him a ride to his friend’s house from the Western Union, where I was waiting for a little gas money from my aunt to make it to the next shelter that could help me get home. I told him the police knew my route home and would come looking for me. It was the truth!

I didn’t realize the error of my ways until it was too late. Until I was far away from home with no money and little hope.

What I did have was music. Every time I was feeling down, which was often during that trip, I played ZZ Top’s Fandango album on cassette. My hand danced with the air outside the Rambler window as the band cheered me up. I must have played Fandango a thousand times that summer. I knew the words to every song and sang along as if I was standing on that stage with them. When I played ZZ Top, I didn’t feel alone. The crowd cheered me on as I got high on life!

I was reminded of that summer I spent with ZZ Top yesterday when I heard that bassist Dusty Hill passed away in his sleep (5/19/49 — 7/28/21). I hope that’s how I go out. I wish that’s how all good people departed from this world, peacefully in our sleep.

Dusty Hill had been performing with ZZ Top for 50 years! They were on tour when he fell ill. I can’t think of a better way to live than doing what you love. Live your dream — that is Dusty’s legacy to me. I am glad that the band will play on. Dusty wanted that. I’m betting we will hear that blues shuffle in c echo from the heavens.

Rock in peace, Dusty.

WriterKat, aka Kathy Chaffin Gerstorff, is an indie author into personal development, holistic health, music, and poetry. Subscribe for updates and fun surprises!