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

A middle-aged man with long hair and beard, wearing a cap labeled 'ZZ TOP,' stands at an event or performance setting.

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.

Middle-aged man in a tailored gray suit jacket with a white dress shirt and black tie, seated at a desk with a microphone and a backdrop suggesting a talk show environment.

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.'

A concert scene with two guitarists playing electric guitars on stage under spotlights against a dark backdrop.

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.

An older adult male wearing a light gray suit jacket with '4 TOP' on his white cap, dark sunglasses, in an outdoor garden setting.

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!