James Brown’s “cape man” and emcee, well-known in his own right, has died of natural causes, reports WRDW in August Georgia.
Danny Ray worked for four decades with the late “Godfather of Soul,” according to Brown’s daughter Deanna. Ray was 85 years old and was known for showmanship like Brown himself, one of Augusta’s most famous residents. Behind every iconic James Brown moment was the same signature voice.
A friend of Ray told News 12 when he got the news last night, he couldn’t believe it. It finally set in this morning, when the news of Ray’s death started making headlines.
“The first hype man, the original hype man,” Coco Rubio said. “Nobody did that before. It just seemed like such a cool thing he did.”
For people like Soul Bar Owner Rubio, a friend of Ray’s he was so much more
“He was like the ultimate cool,” Rubio said. “Always dressed, sharp-dressed man. Always the best-dressed person in the room.”
