Bobby Lee Beeman, Former Musician at Knott’s, Dies

Bobby Lee Beeman, who serenaded visitors at Knott’s Berry Farm with his popular Western music group, the Wagonmasters, died Sunday at his home here of heart failure. He was 65.

Beeman, who was born in Pampa, Tex., first played rhythm guitar and sang with a family group, “Shirley and the Beeman Brothers.” That group included a surviving sister, Shirley Pullen of Garden Grove, and brothers Billy Beeman of Hemet and Don Beeman of Leakey, Tex.

Together with older brother Billy, Bobby Beeman was part of the Wagonmasters in the late 1950s. The group played at Knott’s from 1955 to 1968.

Bobby Beeman’s connection with Knott’s Berry Farm predated its current theme park incarnation, according to his son, Richard.

“When he wasn’t singing, he helped build the Ghost Town part,” Richard Beeman said.

Along with Richard, a Placentia resident, Beeman is survived by sons Robby, also of Placentia, and Randy of Woodland; and sisters Jean Wortley of Dana Point, Judy Zambella of Hemet and Rita Lakin of Mission Viejo, and one grandson.