Gibbons are apes in the family Hylobatidae (). The family is divided into four genera based on their diploid chromosome number: ''Hylobates'' (44), ''Hoolock'' (38), ''Nomascus'' (52), and ''Symphalangus'' (50). The extinct ''Bunopithecus sericus'' is a gibbon or gibbon-like ape which, until recently, was thought to be closely related to the hoolock gibbons. Gibbons occur in tropical and subtropical rainforests from northeast India to Indonesia and north to southern China, including the islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Java.

Also called the lesser apes, gibbons differ from great apes (chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and humans) in being smaller, exhibiting low sexual dimorphism, in not making nests, and in certain anatomical details in which they superficially more closely resemble monkeys than great apes do. Gibbons also display pair-bonding, unlike most of the great apes. Gibbons are masters of their primary mode of locomotion, brachiation, swinging from branch to branch for distances of up to , at speeds as high as . They can also make leaps of up to , and walk bipedally with their arms raised for balance. They are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals.

Depending on species and gender, gibbons' fur coloration varies from dark to light brown shades, and anywhere between black and white. It is rare to see a completely white gibbon.

Gibbon species include the siamang, the white-handed or lar gibbon, and the hoolock gibbons. The siamang, which is the largest of the 16 species, is distinguished by having two fingers on each foot stuck together, hence the generic and species names ''Symphalangus'' and ''syndactylus''.

Evolutionary history

The dating of the evolution of these genera has been difficult. The best current estimates place ''Nomascus'' diverging from the other genera about 8 million years ago (Mya), and ''Symphalangus'' and ''Hylobates'' diverging at 7 Mya. At the species level, ''Hylobates pileatus'' diverged from ''H. lar'' and ''H. agilis'' at 3.9 Mya, and ''H. lar'' and ''H. agilis'' separated at 3.3 Mya.

Taxonomy

Family Hylobatidae: gibbons

* Genus ''Hylobates'': dwarf gibbons

** Lar gibbon or white-handed gibbon, ''H. lar''

*** Malaysian lar gibbon, ''H. l. lar''

*** Carpenter's lar gibbon, ''H. l. carpenteri''

*** Central lar gibbon, ''H. l. entelloides''

*** Sumatran lar gibbon, ''H. l. vestitus''

*** Yunnan lar gibbon, ''H. l. yunnanensis''

** Bornean white-bearded gibbon, ''H. albibarbis''

** Agile gibbon or black-handed gibbon, ''H. agilis''

** Müller's Bornean gibbon, ''H. muelleri''

*** Müller's gray gibbon, ''H. m. muelleri''

*** Abbott's gray gibbon, ''H. m. abbotti''

*** Northern gray gibbon, ''H. m. funereus''

** Silvery gibbon, ''H. moloch''

*** Western silvery gibbon or western Javan gibbon, ''H. m. moloch''

*** Eastern silvery gibbon or central Javan gibbon, ''H. m. pongoalsoni''

** Pileated gibbon or capped gibbon, ''H. pileatus''

** Kloss's gibbon, Mentawai gibbon or bilou, ''H. klossii''

* Genus ''Hoolock''

** Western hoolock gibbon, ''Hoolock hoolock''

** Eastern hoolock gibbon, ''Hoolock leuconedys''

* Genus ''Symphalangus''

** Siamang, ''S. syndactylus''

* Genus ''Nomascus'': crested gibbons

** Northern buffed-cheeked gibbon, ''N. annamensis''

** Concolor or black crested gibbon, ''N. concolor''

*** ''N. c. concolor''

*** ''N. c. lu''

*** ''N. c. jingdongensis''

*** ''N. c. furvogaster''

** Eastern black crested gibbon or Cao Vit black crested gibbon, ''N. nasutus''

** Hainan black crested gibbon, ''N. hainanus''

** Northern white-cheeked gibbon, ''N. leucogenys''

** Southern white-cheeked gibbon, ''N. siki''

** Yellow-cheeked gibbon, ''N. gabriellae''

Hybrids

Many gibbons are hard to identify based on fur coloration, so are identified either by song or genetics. These morphological ambiguities have led to hybrids in zoos. Zoos often receive gibbons of unknown origin and therefore rely on morphological variation or labels that are impossible to verify to assign species and subspecies names, so it is common for separate species of gibbons to be misidentified and housed together. Interspecific hybrids, hybrids within a genus, also occur in wild gibbons where the ranges overlap.

Physical description

One unique aspect of gibbon anatomy is that the wrist is composed of a ball and socket joint, allowing for biaxial movement. This greatly reduces the amount of energy needed in the upper arm and torso, while also reducing stress on the shoulder joint. Sometimes when a gibbon is swinging, its wrist will naturally dislocate until the gibbon finishes its swing. Gibbons also have long hands and feet, with a deep cleft between the first and second digits of their hands. Their fur is usually black, gray, or brownish, often with white markings on hands, feet, and face. The male gibbon will sometimes end up with some dark patches in the white to show it is a suitable choice for mating. Some species have an enlarged throat sac, which inflates and serves as a resonating chamber when the animals call. This structure is enormous in a few species, equaling the size of the animal's head.

Gibbon skulls and teeth resemble those of the great apes, and their noses are similar to those of all catarrhine primates. The dental formula is

Behavior

Gibbons are social animals. They are strongly territorial, and defend their boundaries with vigorous visual and vocal displays. The vocal element, which can often be heard for distances of up to 1 km, consists of a duet between a mated pair, with their young sometimes joining in. In most species, males, and in some also females, sing solos to attract mates, as well as advertise their territories. If a male and female like each other's song, they will find the other gibbon and do a short mating dance followed by a vigorous mating ritual that lasts three days, and they will mate about five hundred times in this time period. The songs can make them an easy find for poachers who engage in the illegal wildlife trade and in sales of body parts for use in traditional medicine. The song can be used to identify not only which species of gibbon is singing, but also the area from which it comes.

The gibbons' ball-and-socket joints allow them unmatched speed and accuracy when swinging through trees. Nonetheless, their mode of transportation can lead to hazards when a branch breaks or a hand slips, and researchers estimate the majority of gibbons suffer bone fractures one or more times during their lifetimes.

Conservation status

Most species are threatened or most endangered, most importantly from degradation or loss of their forest habitats.

In traditional Chinese culture

The sinologist Robert van Gulik concluded gibbons were widespread in Central and Southern China until at least the Song Dynasty, and furthermore, based on an analysis of references to primates in Chinese literature and their portrayal in Chinese paintings, the Chinese word ''yuán'' (猿) referred specifically to gibbons until they were extirpated throughout most of the country due to habitat destruction (circa 14th century). In modern usage, however, ''yuán'' is a generic word for ape. Early Chinese writers viewed the "noble" gibbons, gracefully moving high in the treetops, as the "gentlemen" (''jūnzǐ'', 君子) of the forests, in contrast to the greedy macaques, attracted by human food. The Taoists ascribed occult properties to gibbons, believing them to be able to live a several hundred years and to turn into humans.

Gibbon figurines as old as from the fourth to third centuries BCE (the Zhou Dynasty) have been found in China. Later on, gibbons became a popular object for Chinese painters, especially during the Song Dynasty and early Yuan Dynasty, when Yì Yuánjí and Mùqī Fǎcháng excelled in painting these apes. From Chinese cultural influence, the Zen motif of the "gibbon grasping at the reflection of the moon in the water" became popular in Japanese art, as well, though gibbons have never occurred naturally in Japan.

References

External links

Gibbon Conservation Center

Gibbon Network and Research Lab

Category:Apes

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name	Steve Gibbons
landscape	yes
background	solo_singer
birth date	July 13, 1941
birth place	Harborne, Birmingham, England
instrument	Vocals, guitar
genre	Rock music
occupation	Musician
years active	1960s–present
associated acts	Balls, The Uglys, Idle Race, The Who
past manager	Peter Meaden
website	Steve Gibbons Band.com
notable instruments	}}

Steve Gibbons (born 13 July 1941, Harborne, Birmingham, England) is an English rock vocalist.

The Dominettes

Steve Gibbons started his professional life as a plumber's apprentice in Harborne. He joined the Dominettes by 1960 to replace Colin Smith, who had left to join Jimmy Powell's backing group. Colin Smith later changed his name to Carl Barron and became the singer with The Cheetahs. An Elvis Presley fan, Gibbons' first performance with The Dominettes was at The California public house near Weoley Castle.

Regular music venues for The Dominettes in the early 1960s were the Grotto Club on Bromsgove Street, and The Sicilia Coffee Bar in Edgbaston. The group by this time included many R&B; numbers into their set and this style of music suited Gibbons' gritty vocals. Although the Dominettes had a rougher image than most groups at that time, and were sometimes hired to back strippers at some of the more seedy establishments, they attracted quite a following. Another regular venue for the Dominettes was the Firebird Jazz Club on Carrs Lane in central Birmingham and the group posted advertisements which read "anything considered".

The Uglys

By 1963, The Dominettes were renamed The Uglys. Eventually, the Uglys were able to secure a recording contract with Pye Records and the first release from the group in 1965 was an original song entitled "Wake Up My Mind", composed by Burnet, Holden and Gibbons. The single was advanced for its time and featured some socially conscious lyrics - very unlike the kind of material produced by most other pop groups of the period. The record did not sell well in the United Kingdom, but was a big hit in the Australian chart. John Gordon left in 1965, and was replaced by Jimmy O'Neil from a local band called The Yamps (he had also spent some time with The Walker Brothers). A second Uglys single released the same year was "It's Alright". This one featured prominent use of a harpsichord, as played by O'Neil. The record fell short of the UK Singles Chart, despite the group's appearance on the television program, ''Ready Steady Go!'' to promote it.

Other Uglys singles were released between 1965 and 1967 including a cover version of "End Of The Season", a song composed by Ray Davies. This represented a departure from the Uglys' previous records, as they had all been group compositions up to that point.

During this period, there were many personnel changes in the Uglys line-up which included the departure of Bob Burnett and John Hustwayte. Bass guitarist Dave Pegg joined for a year before leaving to join the Ian Campbell Group. He was replaced by Dave Morgan from a local band called Blaises, and had also been a former member of Danny King's Mayfair Set. Dave Pegg was later in a local group called The Exception and from there, he joined Fairport Convention. Dave Morgan also composed the song "Something" which ended up as the b-side of the Move's chart-topping "Blackberry Way" single. Jimmy O'Neil left the Uglys in 1968 to join The Mindbenders and founding member Jim Holden also departed later that year.

Former Brumbeats guitarist Roger Hill (born 1 January 1945, Erdington, Birmingham died 8 November 2011, Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield) joined the Uglys and stayed for almost a year, before leaving to join previously-departed Dave Pegg in forming a new band called The Exception. Roger Hill was replaced by Will Hammond (from The Yamps) who stayed in the Uglys line-up until the end. Jim Holden was replaced by drummer Keith Smart from Danny King's Mayfair Set. Keyboard player Richard Tandy, who also played on the Move’s "Blackberry Way", joined in 1968 and eventually joined the Electric Light Orchestra.

By the end of 1968, Gibbons was the only remaining original member of The Uglys. This final line-up also included Will Hammond, Dave Morgan, Keith Smart, and Richard Tandy. They recorded a projected single "I've Seen The Light" which was never released.

Balls

Gibbons teamed up with guitarist Trevor Burton from The Move in 1969 and by April of that year they had formed a new group called Balls along with singer/guitarist Denny Laine (formerly of the Moody Blues), and Uglys drummer Keith Smart. The project was relatively short lived and after recording a solo album, Gibbons left the band in February 1971.

Idle Race

After the breakup of Balls, Gibbons returned to Birmingham from London to join The Idle Race for three months in 1971. This band rapidly evolved into the Steve Gibbons Band.

Steve Gibbons Band

His new band worked the pub and club circuits until 1975 when they were spotted by Peter Meaden, former manager of The Who. This led to the Steve Gibbons Band joining The Who's management stable and recording their first Polydor album ''Any Road Up'' in 1975. This was followed in 1976 by a tour with The Who in the UK, Europe and the United States. Playing the concert arenas, they shared the stage with Little Feat, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Electric Light Orchestra, The J. Geils Band and Nils Lofgren. Their next album, ''Rollin' On'' included their biggest hit single, "Tulane". They eventually made three more albums with Polydor.

In 1981, after a change in personnel, The Steve Gibbons Band recorded ''Saints & Sinners'' for RCA and later responded to an invitation from the German Democratic Republic to become the first western rock band to tour the major cities of East Germany in 1982. Gibbons played at the Birmingham Heart Beat Charity Concert 1986 which featured George Harrison. Nine more albums were released in the 1980s and 1990s, and the touring continued.

The Dylan Project

The Dylan Project was a trio Gibbons formed at the end of the 1990s, innovatively using fretless bass, guitars, accordion and piano to perform classic Dylan songs as well as Gibbons' own material.

Brum Rocks

As of 2006, Gibbons continues to tour with his band, and is also a member of the hit UK show 'Brum Rocks Live', along with Bev Bevan (The Move, ELO), Trevor Burton (The Move), Danny King, and writer Laurie Hornsby. The show toured the UK, and was produced and promoted by Brian Yeates Associates.

Gibbons lives with his wife Suzie in Edgbaston, Birmingham. They have two sons and a daughter.

Gibbons played in concert for the Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children in February 2011.

References

External links

[ Steve Gibbons biography] at Allmusic website

http://www.stevegibbons.de/ (German)

Biography by Pete Feenstra

Steve Gibbons Band Gig Guide

Category:1941 births Category:Living people Category:English male singers Category:English singer-songwriters Category:English songwriters Category:People from Birmingham, West Midlands Category:Musicians from Birmingham, West Midlands

sv:Steve Gibbons

Orlando Gibbons (baptised 25 December 1583 – 5 June 1625) was an English composer, virginalist and organist of the late Tudor and early Jacobean periods. He was a leading composer in the England of his day.

Biography

Gibbons was born in Cambridge and christened at Oxford the same year – thus appearing in Oxford church records.

Between 1596 and 1598 he sang in the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, where his brother Edward Gibbons (1568–1650), eldest of the four sons of William Gibbons, was master of the choristers. The second brother Ellis Gibbons (1573–1603) was also a promising composer, but died young. Orlando entered the university in 1598 and achieved the degree of Bachelor of Music in 1606. James I appointed him a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, where he served as an organist from at least 1615 until his death. In 1623 he became senior organist at the Chapel Royal, with Thomas Tomkins as junior organist. He also held positions as keyboard player in the privy chamber of the court of Prince Charles (later King Charles I), and organist at Westminster Abbey. He died at age 41 in Canterbury of apoplexy, and a monument to him was built in Canterbury Cathedral. A suspicion immediately arose that Gibbons had died of the plague, which was rife in England that year. Two physicians who had been present at his death were ordered to make a report, and performed an autopsy, the account of which survives in The National Archives:

We whose names are here underwritten: having been called to give our counsels to Mr. Orlando Gibbons; in the time of his late and sudden sickness, which we found in the beginning lethargical, or a profound sleep; out of which, we could never recover him, neither by inward nor outward medicines, & then instantly he fell in most strong, & sharp convulsions; which did wring his mouth up to his ears, & his eyes were distorted, as though they would have been thrust out of his head & then suddenly he lost both speech, sight and hearing, & so grew apoplectical & lost the whole motion of every part of his body, & so died. Then here upon (his death being so sudden) rumours were cast out that he did die of the plague, whereupon we . . . caused his body to be searched by certain women that were sworn to deliver the truth, who did affirm that they never saw a fairer corpse. Yet notwithstanding we to give full satisfaction to all did cause the skull to be opened in our presence & we carefully viewed the body, which we found also to be very clean without any show or spot of any contagious matter. In the brain we found the whole & sole cause of his sickness namely a great admirable blackness & syderation in the outside of the brain. Within the brain (being opened) there did issue out abundance of water intermixed with blood & this we affirm to be the only cause of his sudden death.

His death was a shock to peers and the suddenness of his passing drew comment more for the haste of his burial – and of its location at Canterbury rather than the body being returned to London. His wife, Elizabeth, died a little over a year later, aged in her mid-30s, leaving Orlando's eldest brother, Edward, to care for the children left orphans by this event. Of these children only the eldest son, Christopher Gibbons, went on to become a musician.

Music

One of the most versatile English composers of his time, Gibbons wrote a quantity of keyboard works, around thirty fantasias for viols, a number of madrigals (the best-known being "The Silver Swan"), and many popular verse anthems. His choral music is distinguished by his complete mastery of counterpoint, combined with his wonderful gift for melody. Perhaps his most well known verse anthem is ''This is the record of John'', which sets an Advent text for solo countertenor or tenor, alternating with full chorus. The soloist is required to demonstrate considerable technical facility at points, and the work at once expresses the rhetorical force of the text, whilst never being demonstrative or bombastic. He also produced two major settings of Evensong, the Short Service and the Second Service. The former includes a beautifully expressive Nunc dimittis, while the latter is an extended composition, combining verse and full sections. Gibbons's full anthems include the expressive ''O Lord, in thy wrath'', and the Ascension Day anthem ''O clap your hands together'' for eight voices.

He contributed six pieces to the first printed collection of keyboard music in England, ''Parthenia'' (to which he was by far the youngest of the three contributors), published in about 1611. Gibbons's surviving keyboard output comprises some 45 pieces. The polyphonic fantasia and dance forms are the best represented genres. Gibbons's writing exhibits full mastery of three- and four-part counterpoint. Most of the fantasias are complex, multisectional pieces, treating multiple subjects imitatively. Gibbons's approach to melody in both fantasias and dances features a capability for almost limitless development of simple musical ideas, on display in works such as ''Pavane in D minor'' and ''Lord Salisbury's Pavan and Galliard''.

Legacy

In the 20th century, the Canadian pianist Glenn Gould championed Gibbons's music, and named him as his favorite composer. Gould wrote of Gibbons's hymns and anthems: "ever since my teen-age years this music ... has moved me more deeply than any other sound experience I can think of." In one interview, Gould compared Gibbons to Beethoven and Webern:

...despite the requisite quota of scales and shakes in such half-hearted virtuoso vehicles as the ''Salisbury Galliard'', one is never quite able to counter the impression of music of supreme beauty that lacks its ideal means of reproduction. Like Beethoven in his last quartets, or Webern at almost any time, Gibbons is an artist of such intractable commitment that, in the keyboard field, at least, his works work better in one's memory, or on paper, than they ever can through the intercession of a sounding-board.

To this day, Gibbons's obit service is commemorated every year in King's College Chapel, Cambridge.

References

External links

Grove Music Online John Harper: 'Gibbons, Orlando', ed. L. Macy (Accessed January 4, 2007)

Free scores at the Mutopia Project

{{s-ttl|title=Organist and Master of the Choristers of Westminster Abbey |years=1623–1625}}

Category:1583 births Category:1625 deaths Category:Alumni of King's College, Cambridge Category:Baroque composers Category:English madrigal composers Category:English composers Category:Renaissance composers Category:English classical organists Category:Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal

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name	Billy Gibbons
background	solo_singer
birth name	William Frederick Gibbons
alias	Billy Gibbons, Billy F. Gibbons, The Reverend Willy G., BFG
birth date	December 16, 1949 Houston, Texas, United States
instrument	Guitar, vocals, harmonica, bass guitar
genre	Blues rock, hard rock, boogie rock, southern rock, rock and roll
occupation	Musician, songwriter, actor
years active	1967–present
labels	London, Warner Bros., RCA, American
associated acts	ZZ Top, Moving Sidewalks, Brooks & Dunn, Roky Erickson, Nickelback
website	The Official Website of Billy F Gibbons
notable instruments	Pearly Gates (1959 Gibson Les Paul maple sunburst) Gretsch Jupiter ThunderbirdGibson Les Paul }}

William Frederick "Billy" Gibbons (born December 16, 1949) is an American musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar known as Pearly Gates. Gibbons has a bass vocal range, spanning E♭1 to E♭5, one of the widest ranges in rock. He is noted for using an old five peso Mexican coin as a guitar plectrum and use of pinch harmonics in his solos.

Gibbons is a familiar fixture at the Sunset Marquis Hotel, producing studio sessions in the NightBird Recording Studio with actors Billy Bob Thornton and J. P. Shellnutt, along with musicians Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Jed Leiber, Joe "Backbeat" Fazzio, and Dwight Yoakam. Gibbons is also well known for his authentic preparations of Texas-style barbecue and Mexican cuisine and is frequently a guest chef around Hollywood, California serving his famous "Renegade Guacamole".

In May 2011, it was announced that Gibbons was named as the 2012 Texas State Musician by the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Early life

Gibbons was born to Frederick Royal (Freddie) and Lorraine Gibbons in the Tanglewood suburb of Houston, Texas, United States. His father was an entertainer, orchestra conductor, and concert pianist who worked alongside second cousin, art director, Cedric Gibbons, for Samuel Goldwyn at MGM Studios. In 1963, Gibbons received his first electric guitar following his thirteenth birthday, a sunburst Gibson Melody Maker, accompanied with a Fender Champ amplifier. While attending Warner Brothers' art school in Hollywood, California, Gibbons engaged with his first bands including The Saints, Billy G & the Blueflames, and The Coachmen. By 18, Gibbons went forward forming an artfully designed band, conceptually inspired by friend and fellow musician, Roky Erickson and The Thirteenth Floor Elevators, naming the group the "Moving Sidewalks", penning the hit single, "99th Floor" and engaging a friendship with Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix went on to say on ''The Tonight Show'' that Gibbons would be the next hottest guitarist.

Musical career

Moving Sidewalks

Gibbons founded the Texas psychedelic group The Moving Sidewalks, which recorded several singles and one full-length album, "Flash." Gibbons and The Moving Sidewalks came to prominence opening for The Jimi Hendrix Experience during Hendrix's first American tour as a headliner. Also notable was the Gibbons-penned song, "99th Floor," its title a nod to the influence on Gibbons of fellow Texans and pioneering psychedelic band The 13th Floor Elevators. Gibbons has also commented during live performances while playing the string-bending intro to "Foxy Lady" that Hendrix taught him how to play the song when Gibbons was "about 17". Longstanding rumors have it that at the end of the tour Hendrix gave Gibbons the pink Stratocaster he had been playing as token of his appreciation for Gibbons' level of talent, and that Hendrix subsequently stated that Gibbons was one of the best guitarists in the US.

ZZ Top

Gibbons formed ZZ Top in late 1969, which then quickly settled on bassist/vocalist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank "Rube" Beard, both being members of the band American Blues. After honing their trademark blues-rock style, they released the aptly titled ''ZZ Top's First Album'' on London Records in 1971.

The band rolled on, intensively touring and recording/releasing albums until 1977, when they took an extended hiatus. Their long-time manager took this time to negotiate a deal that allowed the band to keep control of their previous recordings, to be distributed by their new label, Warner Bros. Records. They reunited two-and-a-half years later in order to start recording under a new Warner Bros. contract. Unknown to each other at the time, both Dusty Hill and Billy Gibbons had grown the chest-length beards that quickly became a part of their image.

The band hit international prominence and their commercial peak with the release of 1983's diamond-selling disc ''Eliminator''. ''Eliminator'' was named after Gibbons' customized 1933 Ford Coupe, which was featured in three of the band's music videos. This vehicle is on exhibition at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. The album featured the hits "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Sharp Dressed Man", and "Legs".

In 1994, the band signed a multi-million dollar, five-disc deal with RCA Records.

In 2003, a comprehensive collection of recordings from the London and Warner Bros. years entitled ''Chrome, Smoke & BBQ'' was released. In 2004, ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They have the distinction of being among a very small group of bands with a 40-year-plus history that still has all of its original members.

Other music-related appearances

Gibbons played the first slide guitar lead on the song "Dead End Streets" on Al Jourgensen of Ministry's side project Revolting Cocks album ''Cocked and Loaded''. He also wrote, played guitar on and sang the song "Willin' For Satisfaction" from Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell's 2005 solo album ''Two Sides Of If.''

Gibbons collaborated with the Queens of the Stone Age on the song "Burn the Witch" from the album ''Lullabies to Paralyze''. ZZ Top's "Precious and Grace" was also recorded with lead vocals provided by Mark Lanegan as a bonus track for the album. Gibbons has also claimed this was one of his favorite collaborations and "Precious and Grace" was later added back into ZZ Top's set lists. Gibbons was also selected to guest the follow-up album Era Vulgaris but was unable to due to scheduling conflicts.

Together with The Raconteurs Gibbons performed at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards. Gibbons was part of an ensemble chosen to play with the band, which included Lou Reed and Jim Jarmusch. The performance was heavily edited and cut short by MTV for broadcast. However, the full unedited performance is available on MTV's Website for the VMAs. Although not a full-length performance, Gibbons can also be heard playing a few bars of the ZZ Top classic "La Grange."

Gibbons can be seen among the crowd at the WWF/E November 13, 2001 live Smackdown show from Houston.

Gibbons was one of several artists to participate together with BB King on the song "Tired Of Your Jive," from the B.B. King & Friends album. Gibbons also appeared on Nickelback's album ''All the Right Reasons'' on the songs "Follow You Home," "Fight for All the Wrong Reasons" and "Rockstar."

Gibbons performed with country legend Hank Williams's grandson Hank Williams III on the song "Trashville," from his album ''Lovesick, Broke and Driftin'.''

Gibbons also collaborated with the original designer of his favorite guitar "Miss Pearly Gates" Lester William Polsfuss aka Les Paul with his Les Paul & Friends ''American Made, World Played'' track "Bad Case of Loving You." Gibbons also performed guitar with John Mayall & Friends' track "Put It Right Back" from the album ''Along for the Ride.''

Gibbons was the first artist to appear on stage at Cleveland's State theater in November 2008 at the American Music Master Tribute to Les Paul, honoring the guitar and recording innovator. Featured guests were a who's who of American Axmen, including Steve Lukather, Lonnie Mack, Duanne Eddy, Richard Burton, The Ventures, Richie Sambora, Jeff Baxter, Lenny Kaye, and Slash. A fitting tribute to the old master who passed away a few short months after this memorable night.

Gibbons was also a guest vocalist on Kid Rock's "Hillbilly Stomp" from the album ''Kid Rock.''

Gibbons was also the guitarist during singer Luis Fonsi's presentation at the 7th Latin Grammy awards held in Madison Square Garden, New York, on November 2, 2006. Lately Gibbons also sang background vocals on former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar's 2008 CD ''Cosmic Universal Fashion'' during the song "Switch on the Light."

Gibbons collaborated with Ronnie Dunn, of Brooks & Dunn fame, for Ronnie's first solo work, playing guitar and singing along on the song, "Honky Tonk Stomp".

He played guitar on "Broke Down On the Brazos", the opening track of Gov't Mule's 2009 album ''By a Thread''.

Gibbons played guitar on "Run Rudolph Run", the third track of ''We Wish you a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year'' compilation.

Gibbons joined Jeff Beck onstage at the 2009 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concert with a version of Jimi Hendrix's "Foxy Lady".

Gibbons made a special guest appearance behind Roky Erickson on ''Austin City Limits'' taped on November 12, 2007 and originally aired January 12, 2008. (''ACL'' Season 33, Episode 12)

Gibbons plays lead guitar on two songs from the 2008 Everlast album ''Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford'': "Stone in My Hand" and "Anyone".

On January 22, 2010, Gibbons joined Ben Harper, Beck, Conan O'Brien, and others on the final episode of ''The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien'' playing a Will Ferrell-led rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird".

On February 19, 2011, Gibbons appeared as a guest judge at the 5th Annual Misprint Beard and Moustache Contest at the Mohawk club in Austin, Texas.

Other projects

Television

Gibbons has a recurring role on the Fox network TV series ''Bones''. He plays a fictionalized version of himself, as the father of Michaela Conlin's character, Angela Pearly Gates Montenegro. Conlin's character's middle name is the same as Gibbons's Les Paul guitar. Gibbons's character is extremely protective of his daughter, and he often "threatens" or "haunts" Jack Hodgins, now her husband, telling him that if he hurts Angela, he will pay. When Angela and Hodgins first broke up he drugged and kidnapped Jack, during which time he also gave him a tattoo of Angela's face. He has appeared in several episodes, including one where he asks Hodgins to help him recover his car from some "biker hoods". The next series he argued with Jack over baby names at the end of the episode Hodgins discovers he has yet another tattoo. This time of his father in law. In a more recent episode he asks to baby sit his grandson Michael, and after initial reluctance of Angela and Jack, they agree due to the need to get some sleep as Michael won't stop crying and won't go to sleep. Gibbons solves the problem by discovering the music Michael likes, including Blues and Boogie Rock, such as ZZ Top's Hi Fi Mama.

BFG Brand sauces

In 2011, Gibbons joined with Texas-based Mojo Products, LLC to launch a line of hot sauces, barbecue sauces, and other products with his own personal branding, "BFG Brand". The sauces are sold as BFG #44 via his personal website at billygibbons.com.

Personal

In December 2005, Gibbons married long-time girlfriend Gilligan Stillwater.

Discography

The Moving Sidewalks

''Flash'' (1968)

ZZ Top

''ZZ Top's First Album'' (1971)

''Rio Grande Mud'' (1972)

''Tres Hombres'' (1973)

''Fandango!'' (1975)

''Tejas'' (1977)

''Degüello'' (1979)

''El Loco'' (1981)

''Eliminator'' (1983)

''Afterburner'' (1985)

''Recycler'' (1990)

''Antenna'' (1994)

''Rhythmeen'' (1996)

''XXX'' (1999)

''Mescalero'' (2003)

Guest singles

Year	Single	Artist	Peak chartpositions		Album
			! width="45"	! width="45"
2009	"Honky Tonk Stomp"	Brooks & Dunn	16	96	align="left"

Music videos

! Year	! Video	! Director
2009	"Honky Tonk Stomp" (with Brooks & Dunn)	Thein Phan

See also

ZZ Top equipment

References

External links

Official Billy Gibbons website

ZZ Top Official website

Category:1949 births Category:American blues guitarists Category:American rock guitarists Category:Blues rock musicians Category:Lee High School (Houston, Texas) alumni Category:Living people Category:Slide guitarists Category:ZZ Top members Category:Lead guitarists Category:Musicians from Houston, Texas Category:Texas blues musicians Category:Gold Star Records artists

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