ZZ Top To Receive Texas Medal Of Arts Award

The Houston Press is reporting that while they take their sweet time getting around to record that long-anticipated, Rick Rubin-produced next album - which, at this point, could well come out a solid decade after their last, 2003's 'Mescalero' - ZZ Top has been announced as one of the recipients of the 2011 Texas Medal of Arts.

The awards will be presented by Gov. Rick Perry at the Texas Cultural Trust's annual gala Tuesday, March 1, at Austin's Long Center for the Performing Arts. Other 2011 winners include Houston's Alley Theater, longtime CBS news anchor and reporter Bob Schieffer, actors Bill Paxton and Marcia Gay Harden, and Asleep at the Wheel front man Ray Benson. See  txculturaltrust.org/tmaa for more information.

Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Van Cliburn, Clint Black, and Austin City Limits are a few previous musical TMA recipients, so ZZ Top - who celebrated the 41st anniversary of their first show as ZZ Top last week - is in good company. (Photo Credit : Jim Bricker)