Dusty Hill was born Joseph Michael Hill in Dallas, Texas and grew up in Lakewood, East Dallas. With his brother Rocky Hill and future fellow member Frank Beard, he began his career playing with local Texas bands like the Warlocks, the Cellar Dwellers, and American Blues. Dusty then moved to Houston with Frank Beard and joined Billy Gibbons to form ZZ Top in 1969. Since then, Dusty has been the bassist and also the vocalist of a small number of their songs, Billy Gibbons performed the lead vocals of almost all of them. In addition, Dusty has also appeared in films and television series including Back to the Future Part III (1990) and as himself in an episode of the eleventh season of King of the Hill (1997), in which Hank Hill is said to be Dusty's cousin.