Ronnie James Dio
Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona; July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010)[1] was an American heavy metal singer. His parents were Italian Americans. He performed with Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and his own band Dio. He was also part of the band Heaven and Hell (named after Black Sabbath's most famous song), with some of the original Black Sabbath members. Dio was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and raised in Cortland, New York. He starred in the Tenacious D movie, The Pick Of Destiny.[2]
In November 2009, Dio was diagnosed with stomach cancer, which caused his death in Houston, Texas, on May 16, 2010. He was 68.[1]
Ronnie James Dio Media
Dio (left) and Ritchie Blackmore performing with Rainbow in 1977
Dio "throwing horns", a gesture commonly used by both artists and fans of heavy metal music
Dio and drummer Vinny Appice performing with Heaven & Hell in Katowice, Poland, in June 2007
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The tomb of Dio (note the "devil's horns" sign on the flanking urns)
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A tribute monument of Dio in Kavarna, Bulgaria
