Ronnie James Dio

American heavy metal singer (1942–2010)

Ronnie James Dio

Dio performing in 2009

Background information
Birth name| Ronald James Padavona
Born| (1942-07-10)July 10, 1942
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S.
Died| May 16, 2010(2010-05-16) (aged 67)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Genres|

* Heavy metal
* hard rock

Occupations|

* Singer
* songwriter

Years active| 1957–2010
Formerly of|

* Dio
* Black Sabbath
* Heaven & Hell
* Rainbow
* Elf
* Hear 'n Aid

Spouses|

Loretta Berardi

(m. 1963; div. 1973)​

[1]

Wendy Walters

(m. 1978)​

[2]

Website| ronniejamesdio.com

Musical artist

Ronald James Padavona[3] (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010),[4] known professionally as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal singer. He fronted numerous bands throughout his career, including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and Heaven & Hell.

Though his parents were from Cortland, New York, Dio was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where his family resided for his father's service in the U.S. Army during World War II. The family returned to Cortland when Dio was very young, and he lived there until graduating from high school in 1960.[5] Dio's music career began in 1957 as part of the Vegas Kings (later Ronnie and the Rumblers). In 1967, he formed the rock band Elf, in which he sang and played bass. In 1975, Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore founded the band Rainbow and hired Dio to be the lead singer; during his tenure, the band released three studio albums. Dio quickly emerged as one of heavy rock's pre-eminent vocalists. In 1979, Dio replaced Ozzy Osbourne as Black Sabbath's lead singer and appeared on three studio albums with the band, all three of which met with success: Heaven & Hell (1980), Mob Rules (1981) and Dehumanizer (1992). In 1982, he left to form the band Dio, which itself had two albums certified platinum by the RIAA. In 2006, he founded the band Heaven & Hell with ex-bandmate Tony Iommi. In November 2009, Dio was diagnosed with stomach cancer and died of the disease six months later.

Dio is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential heavy metal vocalists of all time.[6][7][8][9] He is known for popularizing the "devil horns" hand gesture in metal culture and his medieval-themed song lyrics.[10][11] According to a version provided by the singer himself,[12] the act derives directly from the classic Italian apotropaic gesture, which his grandmother often displayed. Dio had a powerful, versatile vocal range and was capable of singing both hard rock and lighter ballads. He was awarded the "Metal Guru Award" by Classic Rock Magazine in 2006. He was also named the "Best Metal Singer" at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in 2010 and ranked as the genre's best vocalist in 2013 by music journalist Sacha Jenkins.[13]

## Early life

[edit]

Ronnie James "Dio" Padavona was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to Italian-American parents[4] Patrick and Anna from Cortland, New York. His family moved to Portsmouth from Cortland as part of his father's service in the U.S. Army during World War II,[14] and they resided there for only a short time before returning to Cortland. Padavona listened to a great deal of opera while growing up and was influenced vocally by American tenor Mario Lanza.[15] His first formal musical training began at age 5, learning to play the trumpet.[15] Padavona participated in his high school's band program and was one of the youngest members selected to play in the school's official dance band.[citation needed] It was also during high school that Padavona formed his first rock 'n' roll group, The Vegas Kings,[16] which would later be named Ronnie and the Rumblers and then Ronnie and the Red Caps. Though Padavona began his rock 'n' roll career on trumpet, he added singing to his skill set and also assumed bass guitar duties for the groups.[citation needed]

Padavona graduated from Cortland High School in 1960.[16] He was allegedly offered a scholarship to the prestigious Juilliard School of Music but did not take up the offer due to his interest in rock music.[17] He instead attended the University at Buffalo to major in pharmacology.[18] There, he played trumpet in the university's concert band; however, he only attended the university from 1960 to 1961 and did not graduate.[14] Then he enrolled at Cortland State College but dropped out as well.[19] In a 2000 interview, he stated that he majored in history and minored in English.[20]

Despite being known for his powerful singing voice, Padavona claimed to have never received any vocal training.[21] He instead attributed his singing ability to the use of breathing techniques he learned while playing trumpet.[22]

## Career

[edit]

### Early career

[edit]

Dio's musical career began in 1957, when he and several Cortland, New York, musicians formed the band The Vegas Kings. The group's lineup consisted of Dio on bass guitar, Billy DeWolfe on lead vocals, Nick Pantas on guitar, Tom Rogers on drums and Jack Musci on saxophone. The band changed its name to Ronnie and the Rumblers. In 1958, the band again changed its name to Ronnie and the Redcaps. Musci left the band in 1960 and a new guitarist, Dick Botoff, joined the lineup. The band released two singles: The first single was "Conquest"/"Lover" with the A-side being an instrumental track reminiscent of the Ventures and the B-side featuring DeWolfe on lead vocals. The second was "An Angel Is Missing"/"What'd I Say" featuring Dio on lead vocals for both tracks.

Explanations vary for how Padavona adopted the stage name "Dio". One is that Padavona's grandmother said he had a gift from God and should be called "Dio" ("God" in Italian), although this was disputed by Padavona's widow, Wendy, in a February 2017 interview. Another is that Dio was a reference to mafia member Johnny Dio; this explanation was confirmed in his autobiography.[23] Padavona first used the name on a recording in 1960, when he added it to the band's second release on Seneca. Soon after that, the band modified its name to Ronnie Dio and the Prophets. The Prophets lineup lasted for several years, touring throughout New York and playing college fraternity parties. They produced one single for Atlantic Records[24] and one album. Some of the singles (such as "Mr. Misery," released on Swan) were labeled as being by Ronnie Dio as a solo artist, even if the rest of the Prophets contributed to the recording. The group released several singles during the following years until early 1967. Dio continued to use his birth name on any songwriting credits on those releases.

In late 1967, Ronnie Dio and the Prophets transformed into a new band called the Electric Elves and added a keyboard player. In February 1968, the band was involved in a fatal car accident that killed guitarist Nick Pantas and briefly put Dio and the other band members in hospital. Following the accident, the group shortened its name to the Elves and used that name until mid-1972, when it released its first proper album under the name Elf. Over the next few years, the group went on to become a regular opening act for Deep Purple. Elf recorded three albums until the members' involvement in recording the first Rainbow album in early 1975, resulting in Elf disbanding.

### Rainbow

[edit]

Dio (left) and Ritchie Blackmore performing with Rainbow in 1977

Main article: Rainbow (rock band)

In the mid-1970s, Dio's vocals caught the ear of Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who was planning on leaving Deep Purple due to creative differences over the band's new direction. Blackmore invited Dio, along with Gary Driscoll, to record two songs in Tampa, Florida, on December 12, 1974. Blackmore stated in 1983, "I left Deep Purple because I'd met up with Ronnie Dio, and he was so easy to work with. He was originally just going to do one track of a solo LP, but we ended up doing the whole LP in three weeks, which I was very excited about."[25] Being satisfied with the results, Blackmore decided to recruit more of Elf's musicians and form his own band, initially known as Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. They released the self-titled debut album Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow in early 1975. After that, Dio recorded two more studio albums Rising (1976) and Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (1978), the live album On Stage and two archival live albums – (Live in Munich 1977 and Live in Germany 1976) – with Blackmore. During his tenure with Rainbow, Dio and Blackmore were the only constant members. Dio is credited on those albums for all lyrical authorship as well as collaboration with Blackmore on musical arrangement. Dio and Blackmore split, with Blackmore taking the band in a more commercial direction, with Graham Bonnet on vocals and the album Down to Earth.

### Black Sabbath

[edit]

Main article: Black Sabbath

Following his departure from Rainbow in 1979, Dio joined Black Sabbath, replacing the fired Ozzy Osbourne. Dio met Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi by chance at the Rainbow on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles in 1979.[25] The two musicians were in similar situations, as Dio was seeking a new project and Iommi needed a vocalist. Dio said of the encounter, "It must have been fate, because we connected so instantly."[25] The pair kept in touch until Dio arrived at Iommi's Los Angeles house for a relaxed, getting-to-know-you jam session. On that first day, the duo wrote the song "Children of the Sea," which appeared on the Heaven and Hell album, the first the band recorded with Dio as its vocalist, being released in 1980.

The follow-up album, Mob Rules (1981), featured new drummer Vinny Appice. Personality conflicts began emerging within the band. "Ronnie came into the band and he was doing whatever we told him, basically because he wanted the gig. The next album was a little different," Iommi recalled.[25] In 1982, conflict arose over the mixing of the Live Evil album. Iommi asserted that the album's engineer began complaining to him that he would work all day long on a mix, only to have Dio return to the studio at night to "do his own mix" in which his vocals were more prominent.[25] This was denied by Dio.[26] The conflict led to Dio and Appice ultimately quitting the band later that year.

In 1991, Dio returned to Black Sabbath to record the Dehumanizer album. The album was a minor hit, reaching the Top 40 in the United Kingdom and #44 on the US Billboard 200. The single "Time Machine" was featured in the movie Wayne's World, the tenth highest-grossing film of 1992. Close to the end of 1992, Dio and Appice again left the band, citing an inability to work with Iommi and Butler.

### Dio

[edit]

Main article: Dio (band)

Wanting to continue together as a band, Dio and Appice formed the eponymous heavy metal band Dio in 1982. Vivian Campbell played guitar and Jimmy Bain played bass, the latter of whom Dio had known since his time with Rainbow. Their 1983 debut album, Holy Diver, included the hit singles "Rainbow in the Dark" and "Holy Diver", which have remained the band's signature songs.

The band added keyboardist Claude Schnell and recorded two more full-length studio albums with this lineup, The Last in Line (1984) and Sacred Heart (1985). A 1984 live recording, A Special from the Spectrum, was filmed during the band's second world tour and released in VHS format only. The band changed members over the years, eventually leaving Dio as the only original member in 1990. Except for a few breaks, the band was constantly touring or recording. They released 10 albums, with Master of the Moon being the last one, recorded in 2004.

### Heaven & Hell

[edit]

Main article: Heaven & Hell (band)

Dio "throwing horns", a gesture commonly used by both artists and fans of heavy metal music

In October 2006, Dio joined Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and former Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice to tour under the moniker Heaven & Hell, the title of the first Dio-era Black Sabbath album. They chose the name Heaven & Hell as Iommi and Butler were still in Black Sabbath with Osbourne and felt it was best to use a different moniker for the Dio version of the band. Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward was to be involved in this project, but later withdrew.

In 2007, the band recorded three new songs under the Black Sabbath name for the compilation album Black Sabbath: The Dio Years.

In 2008, the band completed a 98-date world tour. The band released one album under the Heaven & Hell name, The Devil You Know, to critical and commercial acclaim. They also had planned to release a follow-up in 2010.

### Other projects

[edit]

In 1974, Dio sang on the Roger Glover conducted and produced concept album The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast. Along with other guest-singers, the album featured Deep Purple alumni Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale. Dio provided vocals for the songs "Homeward", "Sitting in a Dream" and the UK single Love Is All.[27][28]

In 1980, Dio made vocal contributions to Kerry Livgren's Christian themed progressive rock album Seeds of Change, where he sang on the tracks "Live For the King" and "The Mask of the Great Deceiver."

In 1985, Dio contributed to the metal world's answer to Band Aid and USA for Africa with the Hear 'n Aid project. With a heavy metal all-star ensemble—the brainchild of his fellow Dio bandmates Campbell and Bain—he sang some of the vocals on the single "Stars" and an album full of songs from other artists given to charity. The project raised $1 million within a year.

In 1997, Dio made a cameo on Pat Boone's In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy, an album of famous heavy metal songs played in big band style. Dio can be heard singing backup on Boone's take of "Holy Diver".

In 1999, he was parodied in the TV show South Park, in the episode "Hooked on Monkey Fonics", which he later described as "wonderful."[29]

Tenacious D included a tribute song entitled "Dio" that appeared on their self-titled album. The song explains how he has to "pass the torch" for a new generation. Reportedly, Dio approved of it and had Tenacious D appear in his video "Push" from Killing the Dragon in 2002. He also appeared in the film Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, playing himself and providing guest vocals in the movie's opening musical number "Kickapoo."[30]

In 2005, Dio was revealed to be the voice behind Dr. X in Operation: Mindcrime II, the sequel to Queensrÿche's seminal concept album Operation: Mindcrime.[31] His part was shown in a prerecorded video on the subsequent tour and Dio appeared onstage to sing the part live on at least one occasion (both shown on the Mindcrime at the Moore DVD).

Though he was unable to finish writing it, Dio's autobiography, titled Rainbow in the Dark: The Autobiography, was completed by Wendy Dio and Mick Wall and published posthumously on July 27, 2021.[32]

A documentary about Dio's life titled DIO: Dreamers Never Die premiered at SXSW on March 21, 2022.[33][34] The film received a limited theatrical release on September 28, and premiered on television on Showtime December 1, 2022.[35]

## Personal life

[edit]

Dio and drummer Vinny Appice performing with Heaven & Hell in Katowice, Poland, in June 2007

Dio married his first wife Loretta Berardi (born 1941) in 1963.[1] They adopted a son but divorced in 1972.[14]

In 1978, Dio married Wendy Walters[2] (born 1945), ex-wife of drummer Aynsley Dunbar[36] and guitarist Ricardo Gaxiola.[37][38] She also served as Dio's manager. In the 1980s, she managed the Los Angeles rock bands Rough Cutt, NuHaven, Cold Sweat and Hellion. The couple separated but did not divorce. (In 2012, after Dio's death, she married her longtime partner Omar Gimenez.[39])

In September 2003, Dio accidentally severed his thumb during a gardening accident when a heavy garden gnome fell onto it.[40] Dio was concerned he would no longer be able to do his signature "devil's horns" hand gesture, but a doctor managed to re-attach it.[41]

### Illness and death

[edit]

On November 25, 2009, Dio announced that he was diagnosed with stomach cancer[42] and underwent treatment at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

On May 4, 2010, Heaven & Hell announced they were canceling all summer dates as a result of Dio's health condition.[43] His last live performance was with Heaven & Hell on August 29, 2009, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Dio died of the illness on May 16, 2010.[44][45][46]

The tomb of Dio (note the "devil's horns" sign on the flanking urns)

Two weeks after his death, a public memorial service was held at The Hall of Liberty, Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles.[47] The hall was filled to capacity, with many more fans sitting outside the hall watching the memorial on multiple giant screens on both the east and south sides of the hall. Friends, family, and former and current bandmates of Dio, including Rudy Sarzo, Geoff Tate, John Payne, Glenn Hughes, Joey Belladonna and Heaven & Hell keyboard player, Scott Warren, gave speeches and performed. On the screen was an accompanying documentary covering Dio's career from his early days with Elf to his final project with Heaven & Hell.[48]

## Legacy and popular culture

[edit]

A tribute monument of Dio in Kavarna, Bulgaria

Dio's career spanned more than 50 years. During this period and particularly in the 21st century, he received a number of distinctions and awards. He was inducted into the Cortland City Hall of Fame in 2004 and has a street named after him there called Dio Way.[16] Classic Rock Magazine awarded Dio the "Metal Guru Award" at their yearly "Roll of Honour" awards ceremony in 2006. On January 17, 2007, Dio was inducted into Guitar Center's Rock Walk of Fame in Hollywood. Dio was named "Best Metal Singer" at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in April 2010 for his work on The Devil You Know, making him the oldest recipient of this award at age 67. He accepted the award in person at what was to be his final public appearance, just one month before his death.[49]

The main stage of Bloodstock Open Air is also named after him in tribute after Heaven & Hell pulled out upon his death. Also, the main stage on Masters of Rock festival carries his name since summer 2010. A Dio monument has been unveiled in Kavarna, Bulgaria.[50][51] In Mexico the biggest metal fest was named "Hell and Heaven" in honor of Dio; the organization says that the festival was named that way since they had worked with Dio, referring to him as "the greatest singer and person we ever had worked with, a really humble person."

Rolling Stone magazine eulogized Dio with these words: "It wasn't just his mighty pipes that made him Ronnie James Dio — it was his moral fervor...what always stood out was Dio's raging compassion for the lost rock & roll children in his audience. Dio never pretended to be one of the kids — he sang as an adult assuring us that we weren't alone in our suffering, and some day we might even be proud of conquering it."[52] In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Dio at number 165 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.[53]

On July 10, 2011, in parallel to Dio's birthday, his hometown of Cortland, New York held a day-long event featuring many central New York local bands and talent for a benefit to the Stand Up and Shout Cancer foundation for cancer research and Dio Memorial concert. Part of the proceeds from the event went to fund a memorial music scholarship for the local city high-school in his name.[54]

On March 31, 2014, the tribute album Ronnie James Dio This Is Your Life was released. It was organized and produced by Wendy Gaxiola, with album proceeds benefitting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund.[55]

On August 6, 2016, a hologram of the singer, created by Eyellusion, made its live debut at the Wacken Open Air Festival.[56] A second hologram was created for a subsequent world tour, which began on December 6, 2017, in Bochum, Germany.[57]

On January 18, 2017, Dio was inducted into the Hall of Heavy Metal History.[58]

"I guess if I've left any kind of legacy", Dio remarked in 1987, "it's been Heaven and Hell and a lot of Rainbow Rising."[59]

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's main villain, Dio Brando, gets his name from a combination of Dio and Marlon Brando's surnames.[60]

In the fourth season of television series Stranger Things, character Eddie Munson wears a denim vest that includes a large back panel of the artwork on the cover of Dio's The Last in Line.[61][62]

## Discography

[edit]

Main article: Ronnie James Dio discography

## Timeline

[edit]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Ancestry.com. New York, Heiratsindex, 1881-1967 [database on-line]. Ronald Padavona and Lorett Berardi, May 4, 1963.
2. ^ a b "Ronald J Padavona "Connecticut Marriage Index, 1959-2001"". www.familysearch.org. 1978. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
3. ^ "Passport". julienslive.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022.
4. ^ a b "Ronnie James Dio obituary". the Guardian. May 17, 2010. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
5. ^ "City of Cortland Proclamation". Cortland.org. July 15, 2010. Retrieved June 6, 2022. "Ronnie James Dio was born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942 in Portsmouth, NH and resided in Cortland, New York from early childhood until his graduation from Cortland City School in 1960."
6. ^ Epstein, Dan (June 21, 2017). "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved July 2, 2019. "After establishing himself as a top-tier hard-rock vocalist via his late-Seventies/early-Eighties stints in Rainbow and Black Sabbath, Ronnie James Dio truly ascended into the metal pantheon with his 1983 solo debut." "...Holy Diver would achieve platinum status by the end of the Eighties, and serve as an influential touchstone for everyone from Killswitch Engage to Tenacious D."
7. ^ "The 10 Best Heavy Metal Frontmen". nme.com. NME. May 18, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2019. "ranked #1"
8. ^ "Fan Poll: 5 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time". Revolver. May 21, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
9. ^ "12 Of The Very Best Rock/Metal Vocalists". Maniacs Online | Heavy Metal News, Music Videos, Tours & Merch. November 6, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
10. ^ Appleford, Steve (September 9, 2004). "Odyssey of the Devil Horns". Los Angeles City Beat. Archived from the original on November 22, 2007.
11. ^ "The Devil's Horns: A Rock And Roll Symbol". Ultimate-Guitar.com. September 7, 2005. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
12. ^ "Metal-Rules.com Zine - Ronnie James Dio". May 10, 2017. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
13. ^ Erik Piepenburg (March 29, 2013) [Who Are the Best Voices in the History of Metal?] New York Times Blog, accessed July 11, 2019
14. ^ a b c Sweeting, Adam (May 17, 2010). "Ronnie James Dio obituary". The Guardian. London.
15. ^ a b "Talk Today – Ronnie James Dio". USA Today. June 17, 2002. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
16. ^ a b c Herbert, Geoff (July 26, 2021). "Ronnie James Dio autobiography chronicles his life from Cortland trumpeter to international rock star". syracuse. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
17. ^ "fortunecity.com". Rivendell.fortunecity.com. Archived from the original on December 2, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
18. ^ "Ronnie James Dio interview". Ronniejamesdiosite.com. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
19. ^ McCleary, Michael (June 30, 2019). "Dio legacy lives on through annual celebration". Cortland Standard. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
20. ^ Welch, Michael Patrick (March 26, 2014). "Raw Q&A with Ronnie James Dio (St. Petersburg Times. 2000)". michaelpatrickwelch.org. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
21. ^ Van Pelt, Doug (May–June 1997). "What Dio Sez". HM Magazine (65). ISSN 1066-6923. Archived from the original on December 12, 2000. Retrieved April 30, 2007.
22. ^ "Top 5 Most Outrageous Facts About Ronnie James Dio | Revolvermag". Archived from the original on May 17, 2017. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
23. ^ Wilson, Dave. Rock Formations: Categorical Answers to How Band Names Were Formed. San Jose, Calif.: Cidermill Books, 2004. ISBN 0-9748483-5-2
24. ^ "Tapio's Ronnie James Dio Pages: Ronnie Dio & The Prophets 7" Discography". Dio.net. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
25. ^ a b c d e Hotten, Jon. "The Dio Years" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 24, 2009. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
26. ^ Welch, Chris (June 1983). "London Calling". Record. 2 (8): 4.
27. ^ ""The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast": Remembering Dio's psychedelic children's song "Love is All"". Archived from the original on September 2, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
28. ^ "Harold Whitaker". lambiek.net. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
29. ^ "Ronnie James Dio on Reality Check TV (2002)". YouTube. June 25, 2009. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
30. ^ "Jack Black Remembers Ronnie James Dio: 'He Kicked Major Ass'". Rolling Stone. May 15, 2015.
31. ^ "Ronnie James Dio To Play 'Dr. X' On Queensrÿche's 'Operation: Mindcrime II'". Blabbermouth. December 16, 2005.
32. ^ Hatfield, Amanda (July 27, 2021). "Dio autobiography 'Rainbow in the Dark' out now (order it)". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
33. ^ Zapata, Mark (March 21, 2022). "Official Ronnie James Dio documentary 'Dio: Dreamers Never Die,' premiered at SXSW Film Festival". Metal Insider. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
34. ^ Herbert, Geoff (September 21, 2022). "'Dio' rockumentary film salutes a Central New York music legend". syracuse.com. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
35. ^ "RONNIE JAMES DIO Documentary 'Dreamers Never Die' To Receive Television Premiere Next Month". Blabbermouth. November 17, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
36. ^ "Aynsley T Dunbar, "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005"". www.familysearch.org. 1966. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
37. ^ "Ricardo A Gaxiola, "California Marriage Index, 1960-1985"". www.familysearch.org. 1972. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
38. ^ "Ricardo A Gaxiola, "California Divorce Index, 1966-1984"". www.familysearch.org. 1977. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
39. ^ "WENDY DIO Marries Longtime Boyfriend In California". Blabbermouth.net. September 11, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
40. ^ "RONNIE JAMES DIO Talks About Being Attacked By Killer Garden Gnome". Blabbermouth.net. September 10, 2004. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
41. ^ "Ronnie James Dio Loses Thumb". KNAC.COM. September 29, 2003. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
42. ^ "Ronnie James Dio Diagnosed With Stomach Cancer". Blabbermouth.net. November 25, 2009. Archived from the original on November 28, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
43. ^ "HEAVEN & HELL: All Summer Shows Canceled". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
44. ^ "CNN.com: Metal rocker Ronnie James Dio has died, wife says". News.blogs.cnn.com. May 16, 2010. Archived from the original on September 9, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
45. ^ "Legendary Heavy Metal Vocalist RONNIE JAMES DIO Dies". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
46. ^ "Officially communicated of Dio's death". Ronniejamesdio.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
47. ^ The Associated Press (May 31, 2010). "Ronnie James Dio remembered in L.A". Cbc.ca. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
48. ^ "Metal's Elite Attend Ronnie James Dio Memorial". Spin. June 2010.
49. ^ "The Second Annual Revolver Golden Gods Winners Are Revealed! – Revolver Golden Gods Awards". Revolvermag.com. April 9, 2010. Archived from the original on September 1, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
50. ^ "Паметник на Рони Джеймс Дио откриха в Каварна". Vesti.bg. October 13, 2010. Archived from the original on November 18, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
51. ^ Blabbermouth (September 26, 2010). "RONNIE JAMES DIO Statue To Be Erected In Kavarna". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
52. ^ "Farewell, Dio: You Got to Bleed for the Dancer | Rob Sheffield | Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 4, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
53. ^ "The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time". Rolling Stone. January 1, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
54. ^ Dick Bottoff (July 10, 2011). "DIO Tribute Web Site". Standupandshoutcortland.org. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
55. ^ "Metal Hammer | Louder". Metal Hammer Magazine. Archived from the original on March 29, 2014.
56. ^ Grow, Kory (August 7, 2016). "Ronnie James Dio Hologram Debuts at German Metal Festival". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
57. ^ Blabbermouth (December 6, 2017). "RONNIE JAMES DIO Hologram: 'Dio Returns: The World Tour' Kicks Off In Bochum, Germany (Video)". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
58. ^ Legaspi, Althea (December 22, 2016). "Scorpions Among Nominees for Hall of Heavy Metal History". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
59. ^ Ronnie James Dio interview with Tommy Vance for BBC Radio 1's Friday Rock Show; broadcast August 21, 1987; transcribed by editor Peter Scott for Sabbath fanzine Southern Cross #11, October 1996, p27-28
60. ^ Young, Simon (July 9, 2021). "18 things you probably didn't know about Ronnie James Dio". Kerrang!. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
61. ^ Alderslade, Merlin (May 31, 2022). "Stranger Things actor "listened to a lot of heavy metal" to get into character". Louder Sound. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
62. ^ "EDDIE MUNSON's DIO Jacket On Stranger Things Came From RONNIE JAMES DIO's Personal Estate". Metal Injection. June 1, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.

## Sources

[edit]

* Pillsbury, Glenn (2013). "Dio's Lost Decade: Recovering the 1960s Career of Ronnie James Dio". Retrieved from http://www.peteofthestreet.net/dioslostdecaden

## External links

[edit]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Ronnie James Dio.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ronnie Dio.

* Official website
* Ronnie James Dio at Billboard.com
* Memorial benefit event
* MTV

* v
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Elf

* Ronnie James Dio
* Micky Lee Soule
* Gary Driscoll
* Craig Gruber
* David Feinstein
* Steve Edwards
* Mark Nauseef
* Doug Thaler
* Nick Pantas

Studio albums|

* Elf
* Carolina County Ball
* Trying to Burn the Sun

Compilations|

* The Gargantuan
* The Elf Albums

Related bands|

* Rainbow
* The Rods
* Bible Black
* Black Sabbath
* Dio
* Ian Gillan Band
* Gary Moore
* Deep Purple

* v
* t
* e

Rainbow

* Ritchie Blackmore
* Candice Night
* Jens Johansson
* David Keith
* Bob Nouveau

* Ronnie James Dio
* Gary Driscoll
* Craig Gruber
* Micky Lee Soule
* Cozy Powell
* Jimmy Bain
* Mark Clarke
* Tony Carey
* David Stone
* Bob Daisley
* Roger Glover
* Don Airey
* Graham Bonnet
* Joe Lynn Turner
* Bobby Rondinelli
* David Rosenthal
* Chuck Burgi
* Paul Morris
* Greg Smith
* Doogie White
* John O'Reilly
* John Miceli
* Ronnie Romero

Studio albums|

* Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
* Rising
* Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
* Down to Earth
* Difficult to Cure
* Straight Between the Eyes
* Bent Out of Shape
* Stranger in Us All

EPs|

* Jealous Lover

Live albums|

* On Stage
* Finyl Vinyl
* Live in Germany 1976 / Live in Europe
* Deutschland Tournee 1976
* Live in Munich 1977

Compilation albums|

* The Best of Rainbow
* The Very Best of Rainbow
* 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Rainbow
* Pot of Gold
* All Night Long: An Introduction
* Catch the Rainbow: The Anthology
* Winning Combinations: Deep Purple and Rainbow

Video albums|

* Live in Munich 1977

Songs|

* "Man on the Silver Mountain"
* "Stargazer"
* "Since You Been Gone"
* "All Night Long"
* "I Surrender"
* "Stone Cold"
* "Street of Dreams"

Related articles|

* Discography
* Members
* Blackmore's Night
* Elf
* Deep Purple
* Black Sabbath
* Whitesnake
* Dio
* Heaven & Hell
* Yngwie Malmsteen
* Elegant Weapons

* v
* t
* e

Black Sabbath

* Tony Iommi
* Bill Ward
* Geezer Butler
* Ozzy Osbourne
* Dave Walker
* Ronnie James Dio
* Geoff Nicholls
* Craig Gruber
* Vinny Appice
* Ian Gillan
* Bev Bevan
* Ron Keel
* David Donato
* Eric Singer
* Dave Spitz
* Glenn Hughes
* Ray Gillen
* Tony Martin
* Cozy Powell
* Neil Murray
* Bobby Rondinelli

Studio albums|

* Black Sabbath
* Paranoid
* Master of Reality
* Vol. 4
* Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
* Sabotage
* Technical Ecstasy
* Never Say Die!
* Heaven and Hell
* Mob Rules
* Born Again
* Seventh Star
* The Eternal Idol
* Headless Cross
* Tyr
* Dehumanizer
* Cross Purposes
* Forbidden
* 13

Extended plays|

* The End

Live albums|

* Live at Last
* Live Evil
* Cross Purposes Live
* Reunion
* Past Lives
* Live at Hammersmith Odeon
* Live... Gathered in Their Masses
* The End: Live in Birmingham

Compilations|

* We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll
* The Collection
* The Sabbath Stones
* Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970–1978
* Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath 1970–1978
* Greatest Hits 1970–1978
* The Dio Years
* The Rules of Hell
* Greatest Hits
* Iron Man: The Best of Black Sabbath
* The Ultimate Collection
* Anno Domini 1989–1995

Unofficial albums|

* The Sabbath Collection
* The Ozzy Osbourne Years
* Under Wheels of Confusion
* The Best of Black Sabbath
* Club Sonderauflage

Singles|

* "Evil Woman"
* "The Wizard"
* "Paranoid"
* "Iron Man"
* "Children of the Grave"
* "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"
* "Am I Going Insane (Radio)"
* "Neon Knights"
* "Trashed"
* "Psycho Man"
* "God Is Dead?"
* "End of the Beginning"

Other songs|

* "Black Sabbath"
* "N.I.B."
* "War Pigs"
* "Planet Caravan"
* "Hand of Doom"
* "Fairies Wear Boots"
* "Sweet Leaf"
* "After Forever"
* "Into the Void"
* "Changes"
* "Supernaut"
* "Hole in the Sky"
* "Symptom of the Universe"
* "Children of the Sea"
* "Heaven and Hell"

Videos|

* Never Say Die
* Black and Blue
* The Black Sabbath Story, Vol. 1
* The Black Sabbath Story, Vol. 2
* Cross Purposes Live
* The Last Supper
* Inside Black Sabbath - 1970–1992
* Hangin' with Heaven and Hell
* Live... Gathered in Their Masses
* Black Sabbath: The End of the End

Tours|

* Technical Ecstasy Tour
* Never Say Die! Tour
* Heaven & Hell Tour
* Mob Rules Tour
* Born Again Tour
* Ozzfest
* lineups
* Black Sabbath Reunion Tour
* The End Tour

Related|

* Discography
* Members
* List of cover versions of Black Sabbath songs
* In These Black Days
* Nativity in Black
* Heaven & Hell
* tour
* The Devil You Know
* Jeff Fenholt
* Bob Daisley
* Terry Chimes
* Jo Burt
* Laurence Cottle
* Mike Bordin
* Adam Wakeman
* Tommy Clufetos
* Brad Wilk
* Mythology
* Velvett Fogg
* GZR
* Rainbow
* Dio
* Deep Purple
* Electric Light Orchestra
* Kiss
* Badlands
* Whitesnake

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Dio

* Ronnie James Dio
* Vinny Appice
* Jimmy Bain
* Jake E. Lee
* Vivian Campbell
* Claude Schnell
* Craig Goldy
* Simon Wright
* Rowan Robertson
* Jens Johansson
* Scott Warren
* Tracy G
* Jeff Pilson
* Doug Aldrich
* Rudy Sarzo

Studio albums|

* Holy Diver
* The Last in Line
* Sacred Heart
* Dream Evil
* Lock Up the Wolves
* Strange Highways
* Angry Machines
* Magica
* Killing the Dragon
* Master of the Moon

Live albums|

* Intermission
* Inferno: Last in Live
* Evil or Divine: Live in New York City
* Holy Diver: Live
* At Donington UK: Live 1983 & 1987
* Live in London, Hammersmith Apollo 1993

Compilations|

* Diamonds: The Best of Dio
* The Very Beast of Dio
* The Very Beast of Dio Vol. 2

Singles|

* "Holy Diver"
* "Rainbow in the Dark"
* "The Last in Line"
* "Rock 'n' Roll Children"
* "Hungry for Heaven"
* "King of Rock and Roll"
* "Electra"

Videos|

* A Special from the Spectrum
* Sacred Heart "The Video"
* Time Machine
* Evil or Divine: Live in New York City
* We Rock
* Holy Diver: Live
* Live in London, Hammersmith Apollo 1993

Related bands|

* Black Sabbath
* Elf
* Hear 'n Aid
* Heaven & Hell
* Last in Line
* Rainbow

Tribute albums|

* Holy Dio: Tribute to Ronnie James Dio
* Dio (Jorn album)
* Ronnie James Dio – This Is Your Life
* The Dio Album

* Discography
* Members

* v
* t
* e

Heaven & Hell

* Ronnie James Dio
* Tony Iommi
* Geezer Butler
* Vinny Appice

Studio albums|

* The Devil You Know

Live albums|

* Live from Radio City Music Hall
* Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell

Singles|

* "Bible Black"

Tours|

* 2007 Tour
* Metal Masters Tour

Related articles|

* Black Sabbath
* The Dio Years
* The Rules of Hell
* Bill Ward
* Scott Warren
* Glenn Hughes
* Jørn Lande
* Members

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* FAST

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Japan
* Czech Republic
* Spain
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Korea
* Israel
* Finland

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

People|

* DDB

Other|

* IdRef

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