top gear

ZZ Top legend Dusty Hill's treasured items now available to fans in new estate sale

ZZ Top fans can own a piece of history in this Dusty Hill estate sale.

Photo by Emily Jaschke

UPDATE: Due to a “clerical error,” Gilded Monkey Market’s Thom Anderson tells CultureMap, information the estate sale company released to the press incorrectly insinuated that the Dusty Hill’s family is behind this sale. Rather, says Anderson, “this is an estate sale of the contents of his prior home.” Anderson now says that the contents are for sale by the new owners of Hill’s home; this was not information initially provided.

Additionally, after further inquiry by CultureMap, an attorney for Hill’s family advises that this sale is “not in any way affiliated with Hill's estate or his family.”

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Fans who are still mourning the passing of Dusty Hill, bassist for iconic Houston rock band ZZ Top, now have a chance to own a piece of some of his belongings.

A new estate sale, which will be held from Friday, June 10 through Sunday, June 12 at The Guilded Monkey Market warehouse (7023 Rampart St.) in southwest Houston, will offer up belongings from the star’s former home.

Select pieces come from Hill’s home in a prestigious neighborhood in The Woodlands and include his collection of art, plus home and office furnishings, a wide range of rugs, personal accessories, and concert memorabilia. Notably for collectors, all items will come with a certificate of authenticity. (No word if any cheap sunglasses are available.)

“The family knows how beloved Dusty was in Houston and Texas and all around the country,” Thom Anderson, who is organizing the sale with partner Dominique Kendall, tells CultureMap. “They’re excited to share some of his most personal items with his fans.”

Anderson notes that his team are still unpacking boxes, but fans can look forward to Hill’s private desk, dining table, a bed with a 9-foot-tall headboard, and of course, swag from his ZZ Top glory days.

One standout is a simple office dry erase board, on which Hill sketched a self portrait in marker and even signed. “That, to me, is gold,” Anderson notes.

Born Joe Michael Hill, the epically bearded Dusty was born May 19, 1949 in Dallas, where he played cello as a student at Woodrow Wilson High School and picked up guitar with his brother, Rocky. The brothers played in bands around Dallas before Dusty moved to Houston with friend and future bandmate Frank Beard in the late 1960s.

Linking up with Billy Gibbons, the trio released their first record as ZZ Top in 1969. Major gigs included opening for the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix. ZZ Top became a staple in MTV’s early days, where they brought their signature Houston sound and memorable videos to a legion of new fans. The trio was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

Hill passed away in his sleep at his home in Houston on July 28, 2021 at the age of 72.

ZZ Top fans would be wise to arrive early, Anderson notes, as pieces will go fast. “Owning something from Dusty Hill is bragging rights for any Texan,” Anderson adds. “This is a rare opportunity to own a piece of history.”

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The Dusty Hill estate sale will be held at the The Guilded Monkey Market warehouse (7023 Rampart St.) from June 10-June 12. For more information, call 713-360-3147.

a new hope

Houston group seeks fresh ideas for the Astrodome — including a data center

Photo courtesy of City of Houston

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The Astrodome may have once been touted as the Eighth Wonder of the World, but its current condition remains one of Houston's most famous follies. In an effort to find a better use for the building, The Astrodome Conservancy released a Request for Information (RFI) this week, inviting proposals from interested parties on how the historic landmark might be used. Respondents have until September 8 to submit their responses at the official conservancy site.

“This RFI is an opportunity for the market to help shape a shared vision for the Astrodome,” said Beth Wiedower Jackson, executive director of the Astrodome Conservancy. “We are looking to gather creative, feasible, and financially viable ideas that reflect both the significance of the Astrodome and its potential as a catalyst for future development.”

When the Astrodome opened in 1965, it was a marvel of engineering and the world's first air-conditioned, multi-purpose domed sports stadium. It remained an iconic part of Houston until changing trends in sports sent the Astros and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to newer stadiums with modern amenities. After the 2003 Rodeo, the Dome was closed except for a brief use as an evacuation shelter for Hurricane Katrina.

A decades-long fight over what to do with the Astrodome followed that closure. The City of Houston condemned the building for various code violations in 2009. Fully renovating it would cost over $700 million, a tall order for taxpayers. Demolishing it would be far cheaper (around $55 million), but its status on the National Register of Historic Places makes that virtually impossible. Meanwhile, Harris County pays hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to keep the building from turning into an indoor swamp and health hazard.

Proposals for the space have run the gamut. In 2024, the Astrodome Conservancy proposed Vision: Astrodome, which would transform the building into an indoor mall and event space. That still appears to be the foundation of the plan according to the RFI. Or maybe a casino would work? All of it has been slow to get off the ground for a variety of cost and feasibility reasons.

The RFI is seeking private investment to partner with the Harris County property. Proposals are merely for planning purposes and will not automatically lead to contracts for development. Section 2.3 states that participants in the new mixed-use space will "require back-of-house infrastructure improvements to support reliable operations at scale," likely meaning that the plan is to fund some of the much-needed renovations via tenants. However, the RFI points out that participants in the revitalized Astrodome will also be eligible for historic space preservation tax credits.

While Vision: Astrodome seems committed to using the stadium as a public space for the entertainment of Houstonians, the RFI is clear other options are on the table. The Astrodome possibly being used to house a data center is specifically mentioned, though the RFI mandates such a proposal would need to be very upfront about the infrastructure demands and continuing operating costs of such a project. Public backlash against data centers led to Governor Greg Abbott ordering a pause on grid connections to them pending further review. In the unlikely event a data center operator received approval from both the Astrodome Conservancy and Harris County Commissioners, it would likely face opposition from other parties no matter how much money was involved.

astrodome conservancy