Ronnie James Dio

American heavy metal singer (1942-2010) · United States · Musicians · Died at 67

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He gave heavy metal its signature hand gesture and a voice that could carry both dungeon-dark mythology and soaring melody. Ronnie James Dio moved through the genre's biggest bands - Rainbow, Black Sabbath, his own Dio - and left each one heavier for it.

Musicians Singer / Musician Singer-Songwriter Classical Music United States Americas 20th Century

A life in dates

2010Died16 May 2010“I'm lucky that I am a very hard person and strong within my beliefs, so that this hasn't really been a problem for me, y'know, I just get cancer, I'll kick the hell outta you.”In their wordsInterview by 39 News in the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2010Read the whole statement

2005“That was obvious that there are people in this world who always going to try and take advantage of you - and do take advantage of you.”In their wordsSeptember 2005Speaking on the Black Sabbath song "Heaven and Hell", interview by Dmitry M. Epstein, September 2005Read the whole statement

1999“The dancer is the free spirit unfettered by chains and not confined by four walls. Noone seems to care much for those they can't control.”In their words5 June 1999AOL chat session, June 5, 1999Read the whole statement

1998“But I think it's a hell of a book. I think Whoever put it together did quite an interesting job, but I think that it was ...”In their wordsSpeaking on the Bible, interview by Doug Van Pelt, HM Magazine (1998)Read the whole statement

1985“You know, music was given to us to color our world, and some people like blue, some people like green, some people like the combination of both.”In their wordsSpeaking on hard rock and heavy metal fans being interested in classical music, interview by Steve Newton, 1985Read the whole statement

1976“I'm not a very religious person. I have no concept of what a God is; it may be the man on the silver mountain.”In their wordsMarch 1976Speaking on the Rainbow song "Man on the Silver Mountain", interview by Don Snowden, Los Angeles Vanguard (March 1976)Read the whole statement

1942Born10 July 1942

Also in Deutsch

Photos 8

Ronnie-James-Dio Heaven-N-Hell 2009-06-11 Chicago Photoby Adam-Bielawski

Alice Cooper & Dio2

Dio (2005) (cropped)

Dio (2005)

Dio (3538740885) (cropped)

Dio (3538740885)

Dio (3538741481)

Dio IronFest cropped

In their own words 10

Ronnie James Dio

10 statements, newest first

I'm lucky that I am a very hard person and strong within my beliefs, so that this hasn't really been a problem for me, y'know, I just get cancer, I'll kick the hell outta you.
2010, Interview by 39 News in the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2010, Own words
I brought melody and classicalness and a great amount of musicality to this band.
Sep 13, 2007, Speaking on Black Sabbath, "Black Is Really White" by Andrew Miller, Orlando Weekly (September 13, 2007), Own words
That was obvious that there are people in this world who always going to try and take advantage of you - and do take advantage of you.
Sep 2005, Speaking on the Black Sabbath song "Heaven and Hell", interview by Dmitry M. Epstein, September 2005, Own words

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Family

Ronnie James Dio

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Child Dan Padavona

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About this person

Ronald James Padavona started singing in 1957 with the Vegas Kings, then formed the rock band Elf a decade later. In 1975, Ritchie Blackmore hired him for Rainbow, where three studio albums established Dio as one of hard rock's defining vocalists. He joined Black Sabbath in 1979 after Ozzy Osbourne's exit and recorded Heaven & Hell, Mob Rules, and later Dehumanizer - all commercial successes. In 1982 he left to front his own band, Dio, which earned two platinum albums. He reunited with his Sabbath bandmates in 2006 under the name Heaven & Hell. Diagnosed with stomach cancer in November 2009, he died six months later, leaving behind a legacy built on a powerful vocal range, medieval lyrical themes, and the devil horns gesture borrowed from his Italian grandmother.

Country

United States