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Johnny Carson's Epic Reaction to 'Zz Top' Rocking the Stage in 1986

A man with a long gray beard and sunglasses wears a ZZ Top cap in two different settings.

The legendary rockers' ZZ Top' performed on 'The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.' The long-bearded duo, accompanied by their non-bearded drummer, rocked the show.

A man in a gray suit and tie is speaking, with a plant and a screen showing a red and yellow character in the background.

Johnny says, "Hang onto your hats. This group has sold over 30 million albums, but they've never done live television." The two men stand in the front with two matching guitars.

They both wear pink baseball hats, and there's a drummer in between them in the back with a red drum set labeled 'ZZ Top.' They start by playing a synchronous guitar riff and then begin singing their hit 'Sharp Dressed Man.'

Two musicians with long beards and hats play guitars on stage, backed by a drummer.

The stage is a star-filled sky with different colored lights shining on it, like red, blue, green, and orange. The guys are wearing suits, and they are joined by Johnny's band, led by trumpeter Doc Severinsen.

The horn accompaniment is a fantastic addition to the rock song, and Doc gets into it wearing a long but fake beard. The two guitarists sidestep in unison throughout the entire song, wiggling their legs in coordinated dance movements.

A man with a long white beard, wearing a white cap and sunglasses, stands in front of green foliage.

There is an excellent extended guitar solo. Once it's over, the lead singer thanks the crowd and says, "How about another one?!" They cheer loudly, and 'ZZ Top' rips into another rocker featuring heavy guitar leads.

The song ends with pillars of smoke shooting up from the floor where they stand, and the audience cheers. Doc makes a funny facial expression like he's surprised, and when the camera cuts back to 'ZZ Top,' they've disappeared. They reappear, magically sitting next to Johnny!

Remember when Johnny Carson was everywhere? You can find it on AmazonAd if you're in the mood.