Reflections of Ronnie James Dio

On November 25th Ronnie was diagnosed with stomach cancer, sadly on May 16th he passed away losing his battle with the disease but leaving behind a legacy which will be remembered forever.

Ronnie was originally born Ronald James Padavona in New Hampshire in the US. He took up the name Dio from the mafia member Johnny Dio using the name professionally in 1961.

He was a notable member of Rainbow and his own band Dio which formed in 1982. Working on songs with Vinny Appice he created some of the most memorable metal songs of all time including Holy Diver and Rainbow In The Dark.

However he’s best remembered for his work in Black Sabbath which later became Heaven And Hell. If you watch ‘Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey’ he also reveals that he was the originator of the ‘devils horns’ that you now see at every metal gig around the world.

Ronnie was always distinguished by his professional nature and his incredible voice. He always had time for the press and fans alike.

I’m sure his loss will be felt by the metal community for many years to come.

We can all contribute to the battle against cancer by donating to charities urgently needed by sufferers and their families.

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/
http://www.macmillan.org.uk/
http://www.mariecurie.org.uk/