ZZ Top bassist leads car parade

ZZ Top singer-bassist Dusty Hill was front-and-center in the band's hometown of Houston over the weekend. Hill had the honor of being the Grand Marshall at the city's 19th annual Art Car Parade, which was held Saturday (May 13th). The parade featured 250 vehicles, including a 1930s roadster called "Phantoms," and a tandem bicycle called the "Bone Bike" that was sponsored by the Houston Museum Of Natural Science. While there was plenty of fun and games, the Art Car Parade also had a serious side, as 80 of the vehicles went out and made visits to people who couldn't otherwise make it to the parade route, including those in children's hospitals and community centers.

The members of ZZ Top are quite familiar with custom cars, some of which were featured in singer-guitarist Reverend Billy F. Gibbons's book Rock + Roll Gearhead. Gibbons told us that he only showed off a small part of the collection: "The book features 10 of our favorites. The famous Eliminator coupe is in there, along with Cadzilla, Copperhead, the 1936 Ford which served us as a daily driver called Mambo... I think the count on the automobiles -- what is it, like, 60 or 70, I think. Quite a rolling stockpile (chuckles)."

The band is working on a new studio album, and a tour is also being mapped out.