Usher Pays Heartfelt Tribute To Late Drummer Aaron Spears

In a touching Celebration of Life service held at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden Worship Center in Upper Marlboro, MD, Usher paid a heartfelt tribute to the late drummer Aaron Spears. The event was an emotional gathering of friends, family, and fellow musicians, where Usher shared his deep appreciation for the man he considered his hero.

Aaron Spears, a talented musician born in Washington, DC, tragically passed away on October 30, just four days after celebrating his 47th birthday. The exact cause of his death remains undisclosed, adding to the somberness of the occasion.

With tears in his eyes, the renowned 45-year-old R&B sensation began his eulogy with heartfelt words, “He was my hero, man.” 

As seen in a video obtained by DailyMail, Usher expressed his regret that he couldn’t convey his feelings to Aaron often enough but hoped that Aaron knew through every drumbeat how much he meant to him. “He meant that much to me, and he will continue to mean that much to me as a friend. That’s an amazing force,” he stated.

 Usher’s tribute continued with a promise to keep Aaron’s memory alive. He promised, “I will always love Aaron Spears. I will have him in my mind no matter when I’m playing, where I’m playing – I always hear his rolls. I always hear him backing me up. He follows me everywhere I go, and I was like, “Man, you caught that?! You cold, bro! You the baddest.” He was that dude.”

The connection between Usher and Aaron was made possible by musical director Valdez Brantley, whom Usher affectionately referred to as ‘A Speezy.’ The Climax singer humorously recalled their initial collaboration by saying, “Before, we were three pieces and a biscuit,” eliciting laughter from the crowd. He praised Aaron for uniting them into a “funk rock orchestra” and thanked him for being a source of encouragement and positivity.

Usher went further, saying, “I honor this man. I praise him for the person he is to each and every person in this room, because we recognize and we acknowledge him. We acknowledge him for what it is that he offered to us. We appreciate having these things. And I tell you, as you leave, appreciate the ones that you have while you have them. Honor them and let them know how you feel about them.”

Aaron’s impact extended beyond his collaborations with Usher; he received a Grammy Award nomination in 2005 for his work on Usher’s fourth studio album, Confessions. He also worked with Usher’s protégé, Justin Bieber, who remembered him as a beautiful man and an inspiration to all drummers.

Aaron is survived by his wife Jessica Rae Dobson Spears and their nine-year-old son August Preston Spears. Meanwhile, Usher, who hails from Texas and calls Georgia home, is set to headline the Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show and continue his Las Vegas Residency at Dolby Live inside Park MGM.