R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio

Metal Legend Ronnie James Dio dead at 67
Associated Press

Ronnie James Dio, whose soaring vocals, poetic lyrics and mythic tales of a never-ending struggle between good and evil broke new ground in heavy metal, died Sunday, according to a statement from his wife and manager. He was 67.

Dio revealed last summer that he was suffering from stomach cancer shortly after wrapping up a tour in Atlantic City, N.J., with the latest incarnation of Black Sabbath, under the name Heaven And Hell.

"Today my heart is broken," Wendy Dio wrote on the singer's site, adding he died at 7:45 a.m. "Many, many friends and family were able to say their private goodbyes before he peacefully passed away.

"Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all," Wendy Dio continued. "We so appreciate the love and support that you have all given us ... Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever."

The statement was confirmed by Los Angeles publicist Maureen O'Connor. Dio was being treated at a Houston hospital, according to his site.

Though Dio had recently undergone his seventh chemotherapy treatment, he was hopeful to perform again. Earlier this month, Heaven And Hell canceled its summer tour, but Dio did not view being sidelined as a permanent thing.

"Wendy, my doctors and I have worked so hard to make it happen for all of you, the ones we care so much about, that this setback could be devastating, but we will not let it be," he said in a statement. "With your continued love and support, we ... will carry on and thrive. There will be other tours, more music, more life and much more magic."

Dio rose to fame in 1975 as the first lead singer of Rainbow, the heavy metal band put together by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who had just quit Deep Purple.

Dio then replaced legendary vocalist Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath in 1980 with the critically acclaimed album "Heaven And Hell," considered by many critics to be one of the finest heavy metal albums of all time. His on-again, off-again tenure with Black Sabbath touched off an intense debate among fans as to which singer was the true essence of the band — a discussion that lasted until his death.

He also enjoyed a successful solo career with his self-titled band, Dio, in between his three stints with Black Sabbath (1980-82; 1992; and 2007-2009, when the band toured as Heaven And Hell, to differentiate it from Osbourne-led versions of Sabbath).

Many of his most memorable songs revolved around the struggle between good and evil, including his signature tune "Heaven And Hell." He also drew heavily on medieval imagery in songs like "Neon Knights," "Killing The Dragon" and "Stargazer."

"He possessed one of the greatest voices in all of heavy metal, and had a heart to match it," said Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French, whose band toured with Dio since 1983, and was to do so again this summer at European rock festivals. "He was the nicest, classiest person you would ever want to meet."

Dio organized an all-star charity collaboration in 1986 called "Hear N' Aid" to raise money for famine relief in Africa, styled on the successful "We Are The World" campaign of a few years earlier.

His solo hits included "Rainbow In The Dark," "The Last In Line" and "Holy Diver."
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AP Music Writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody contributed to this story.

Here's a song by Tenacious D that I always found funny. Dio later made a cameo appearance as an Oracle of sorts in Jack Black's (awful) movie, "The Pick of Destiny".

"Now go, my son! And Rock!!!!!"

This song, by Tenacious D (a duo consisting of funnyman Jack Black and his musical partner, Kyle Gass), is called, "The Ballad of Dio" which was from their 2001 self titled debut album...

For your non rockers out there, this is a really big loss for the rock world. Dio's voice was unmistakable and considered one of rock's most powerful voices. Despite all the jokes at his expense (mainly about his short stature), his powerful voice belied  his slight appearance and his penchant for medieval clothing. He also helped popularize the "horned" hand salute. He said in past interviews that his Sicilian grandmother would use it as "protection against the evil eye" and it has since been adopted as a very rocognizable gesture to thrust your hands and arms in the air during rock concerts.

He was the former lead singer of Rainbow (Yeah! Ritchie Blackmore rocked!) and famously replaced Ozzy Osbourne as the frontman for Black Sabbath in the early 80's. He later formed his own group, Dio in 1982 but returned to Sabbath for a short stint in 1991 and again in 2006.

As a young budding rocker in the 80's, I still remember hearing "Heaven and Hell" and when he was in Dio and well as his own hits "Holy Diver", "Rainbow in the Dark" and "Stand Up and Shout". The 80's were the heydey of metal...His piercing, neo-operatic vocals set the groundwork for many metal bands of that era. His showmanship was also quite flamboyant whether he fronted Rainbow, Sabbath or his own band.

Dio even inspired the lead vocalist of  San Diego based metal band Benedictum. Their lead singer, Veronica Freeman, is a chick with a most impressive set of pipes. She even fronted her own Dio tribute band, Evilution,  and on Benedictum's debut album, "Uncreation" (2006) included her covers of Sabbath's, "The Mob Rules" and "Heaven and Hell". Even Pat Boone himself (one of my mom's favorites) covered "Holy Diver" for his heavy metal parody album, "In a Metal Mood"  (1997) in which he also covered/slaughtered classics like Guns 'n Roses' "Paradise City", Judas Priest's "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", Ozzy's signature song, "Crazy Train", and "Panama" by Van Halen. Ronnie James Dio even sang backup vocals for Pat Boone's big band version of "Holy Diver".