Bill Ham (born Billy Mack Ham in 1937) was the manager, producer, and image-maker of ZZ Top,[1] from its inception in late 1969 until September 2006.
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Ham was born in Waxahachie, Texas in 1937.
The band which ultimately became ZZ Top was originally the "Moving Sidewalks". When Tom Moore and Don Summers were drafted, Dan Mitchell and Billy Gibbons changed the name to ZZ Top. Lanier Greig was added and the original ZZ Top was formed . Bill Ham was a record promo man for Bud Dailey Distributing when he saw the Sidewalks perform at a Doors concert in Houston and came backstage to compliment the band. Later when The Sidewalks decided to leave their manager, Steve Ames, and form a new band, Mitchell asked Ham if he would be interested as the manager for the new band.
Ham was instrumental to ZZ Top's success, co-writing songs, producing their hit albums, and constructing their image, and he continued as manager up to and including 1996's Rhythmeen album and tour. Ham also recruited the Texas guitarist Jay Boy Adams into the ZZ Top's band.
While most of Ham's career has been managing and producing ZZ Top, he made a record of his own as a singer for Dot Records before becoming ZZ Top's manager. His producer was Pat Boone. Ham also has produced such artists as Kinky Friedman and Point Blank.