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Ronald James Padavona (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010), better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an Italian-American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He is best known being the frontman of his own eponymous band Dio and for his tenure as the lead vocalist of Black Sabbath from 1979 to 1982, and again briefly in 1992. He was also the original lead singer for Ritchie Blackmore's band Rainbow. He is credited with popularizing the "metal horns" hand gesture used in metal culture.

Career[]

Ronnie James Dio performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser Hear 'n Aid.

Other projects involved[]

Prior to his death, he was collaborating on a project with former Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice, a supergroup known as Heaven & Hell, whose only studio album, The Devil You Know, was released on April 28, 2009.[1] One of the last songs he recorded was titled "Metal Will Never Die".[2]

Personal life[]

Illness and death[]

Dio died of stomach cancer on May 16, 2010.[3][4]

Legacy[]

He was widely hailed as one of the most powerful singers in heavy metal,[5] renowned for his consistently powerful voice. He consistently ranks as one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time in various online polls and lists. He is credited with popularizing the "metal horns" hand gesture in metal culture.

Discography[]

Rainbow[]

For more details, see Rainbow discography

Black Sabbath[]

For more details, see Black Sabbath discography

Dio[]

For more details, see Dio discography

Heaven and Hell[]

Guest appearances[]

Other media[]

  • The Black Sabbath Story (Documentary, vol. 2) (1992)
  • Metal: A Headbangers Journey (Documentary) (2005)
  • Heavy: The Story of Heavy Metal (Documentary) (2006)
  • Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny (Film) (2006)

References[]

  1. Heaven And Hell Album Details Revealed. Retrieved on March 21, 2009.
  2. Template:Citeweb
  3. Message from Wendy Dio, DIO
  4. New York Times obituary
  5. Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal, Daniel Bukszpan, Barnes & Noble Publishing, Inc. NY, 2003. ISBN 0-7607-4218-9

External links[]

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