Portal:Houston/Selected biography/April 2007

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Billy F. Gibbons (born December 16, 1949), nicknamed the Reverend Willie G, is best known as the guitarist for that "Little Ol' band from Texas", ZZ Top. He is also the lead vocalist and composer for many of the band's classic songs. A Houston native, Gibbons is known for playing a classic 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar he calls Miss Pearly Gates. Many guitarists have copied his rich guitar tones. The 1973 rock and roll classic "La Grange" is a fine example of Gibbons' tone and technique. He is known to play his guitar using a quarter or a peso as a pick, lending a distinctive sound to his playing. Gibbons obtained the nickname, "the Reverend" as a result of becoming ordained by the Universal Life Church in order to legally preside over a friend's wedding.