Hair to the Throne

Sorry James Harden, but you’ll never have the most famous beard in Houston. That honor belongs to the Santa Claus-like ginger waterfall on the chin of one Billy F. Gibbons, lead singer and guitarist of rock band ZZ Top. At 67, Gibbons is still a badass and, truth be told, he’ll probably die a badass … and a Houstonian.

A_Billy_Gibbons_in_Hawaii_Photo_by_Blain_Clausen

Sorry James Harden, but you’ll never have the most famous beard in Houston. That honor belongs to the Santa Claus-like ginger waterfall on the chin of one Billy F. Gibbons, lead singer and guitarist of rock band ZZ Top. At 67, Gibbons is still a badass and, truth be told, he’ll probably die a badass … and a Houstonian. Born and bred here, he’s perhaps the city’s most recognizable and long-lasting international star. Gibbons and ZZ Top still tour, and don’t spend a ton of time at home, but they will be playing the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo on March 22. Before you go, we’ll share a little trivia about the man behind the beard and shades. Can you spot which two of these three anecdotes about Gibbons are true and which is a lie?


1. He once had a brief stint as a rodeo cowboy, but quit after a run-in with a bull. He took his revenge by being a “happy carnivore” for most of his life, but recently went vegan for health reasons. “I also got over it all when I went ‘full Hemingway’ and ran with the bull in Pamplona.”

2. He got his first guitar, a Gibson Melody Maker, at age 14. Though his father was a pianist, Gibbons wanted to learn guitar because he “could just grab it and go.” He’s now so obsessed with guitars, he published a book, Rock + Roll Gearhead, about them.

3. He’s one of the top celeb classic car collectors in the U.S. and is famous for his several custom Cadillacs. One of them — a 1948 Cadillac Series 62, which he’s dubbed “The CadZZilla” — is a slick black shark of a car and is so iconic, it’s available as a toy model by Matel.

Uncategorized
Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

Keep Reading Show less

THE CORINTHIAN WAS the scene for a haunted happening benefiting Children’s Museum Houston. The decidedly adult bash was filled with dark allure, gothic glamour, and generosity to the tune of $1.14 million, the second-highest total in the event’s history.

Keep Reading Show less
Parties

Morris Smith, Tilman Fertitta and Toni Smith

THE HOUSTON CHILDREN'S Charity gala is always anticipated, thanks to the big-deal musical acts brought in to entertain; this year it was Chicago. But the headliners this year were the generous donors, who seemed to surprise even event organizer with their largesse, with a total till of $6.2 million, a record.

Keep Reading Show less
Party People