Aaron Spears, Grammy-nominated drummer, dead at 47
Spears worked with artists such as Chaka Khan, Usher, Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga. His death prompted responses of sadness from Sheila E., Questlove and others.
Aaron Spears, an accomplished drummer for artists such as Usher and Ariana Grande, has died at age 47. His wife, Jessica, confirmed his death with a message on his Instagram page Monday.
“It is with a heavy heart and overwhelming sadness that I share the news of the passing of my beloved husband, Aaron Spears,” she wrote. “Aaron was not only an incredibly accomplished drummer admired by many for his unparalleled talent and passion for music, but he was also a devoted father to our precious son, August.”
There was no official statement released detailing the date, place or cause of Spears’ death, and late Monday night, the musician’s representatives could not be reached for comment by The New York Times.
Fellow drummers like The Roots’ Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Nate Smith, Otis Brown III, Sheila E. and Kendrick Scott all wrote replies expressing shock and sadness to Monday’s IG post, and an outpouring of tribute and statements of condolence flooded social media.
Questlove shared his own separate tribute to Spears on Instagram. He posted a video of Spears drumming, calling the news of his death “devastating.”
“The world lost a legend today,” Questlove wrote. “Husband, father, producers, music director, leader drumgod & just a Cotdamn BEAST in Aaron Spears.”
Also on Instagram, Usher, who worked extensively with Spears, posted a photo of him and Spears performing together on stage with the caption: “IP Aaron… Gone Too Soon.” Sheila E. posted a photo of Spears, too, writing that the two just recently spent time together.
“His musicianship as a drummer was one of a kind,” she penned. “An amazing and humbled man who gave his heart to everyone he came in contact with.”
Spears, a Washington, D.C., native, played for an impressive array of artists, including Chaka Khan, Jordin Sparks, Mary Mary, Lil Wayne, The Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga. He earned a Grammy Award nomination for contributing to Usher’s 2004 album, “Confessions.”
Over the past few years, Spears created drumming masterclasses, plus he played at many musician clinics and on numerous television programs. In 2019, he played drums on the pilot episode of NBC’s songwriting competition series, “Songland.” He served as drummer and music coordinator on Season Three of Fox’s “The Masked Singer.”
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