‘Bee’ Spears Dies

Dan “Bee” Spears, 62, longtime bass player for Willie Nelson, died in Nashville Dec. 8. Spears apparently fell while stepping out of his motor home, was knocked unconscious and died from accidental exposure.

He was buried Dec. 13.

Spears played with Nelson for 40 years.

“Playing with Willie is tricky business,” Spears sold Austin, Texas’ American-Statesman in a 2003 interview. “If you try to follow him too close, he’ll lead you down to the river and drown you. You have to keep one eye on him and one eye on your part. Just play your part and trust that he’s going to come back and meet you at some point.”