Dannie Ray Mason

Mr. Dannie Ray Mason, age 65 of Durham, NC entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at Pruitt Health in Durham, NC. He was born on December 13, 1958. He grew up in Chapel Hill, NC and was educated in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System.
Dannie faced many challenges in his life, including homelessness in which he stated, "Homelessness is something you can never prepare for". However, he was able to overcome these challenges through his love for music and entertainment. He is known as a musical legend throughout Chapel Hill and the surrounding areas. With no formal training, he used his God-gifted talent and taught himself to play the drums, guitar, and the piano. He worked with many bands, whether it was setting up equipment, making sure the lighting was right, hyping up and engaging the audience and taking photos, playing the drums or other instruments, dancing, and singing. These bands included Mickey Mills and Steel, Liquid Pleasure, Rise, Flying Minds, Joe Bell and the Patterson's, and most recently, Shit Horse. He was also once the house drummer at Mansion 462. He loved being an entertainer and stated that even when the lights went out, he still wanted to stay and perform.
Dannie was preceded in death by his parents, Lois Thornton and Owen Mason, Jr., one sister, Loretta Thornton (son Eddie), and one brother, Timothy Thornton (wife Tracy and children Devon, Dominique, and Joshua). He leaves to cherish his memories one daughter, Danielle Mason, her mother, Gwendolyn Marie Snipes Adeleke, and Danielle's fiancée, Ron Latta; 4 brothers, Michael Mason of Springfield, Vermont (children Risha and Graham), Terry Randy Thornton of Durham, NC (wife Jana and children Jala, Teja, Ricano, Allicson, Robert, Darris, and 10 grandchildren), Tommy Thornton of Durham, NC, and Leonard Thornton of New York, NY; 3 sisters; Valetta Thornton of Durham, NC, Lenore Brutton of NJ (husband Rodney and children Bryson and Brooke) and Melanie Chandler of Lawrenceville, GA (husband Daryl), and a very special friend, Lisa Crumpton Fiss, as well as a host of other family and friends.
Dannie left us with lots of words of encouragement and these are some of his words from one of the videos recorded of him, "I'm going to be alright. I'm going to make it because you have to look for things that keep you motivated. I think my home is entertainment, never letting the light go out, never letting the curtain close, cause the true and real me; I'm still learning." And he would always end with an infectious laugh and smile as bright as a sunny day!
Even though the light has gone out and the curtain has closed for Dannie, he has left a light shining brightly in our hearts.
"We do not own copyrights to the background music"
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Professional services entrusted to Knotts Funeral Home-Chapel Hill, NC