Ronnie James Dio

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 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. He was widely hailed as the most powerful singer in heavy metal, 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 "devil horns" hand gesture in metal culture. Prior to his death, he was collaborating on a project with former Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice, under the moniker Heaven & Hell, whose first studio album, The Devil You Know, was released on April 28, 2009. Dio died of stomach cancer on May 16, 2010. One of the last songs he recorded was titled "Metal Will Never Die".

Years Active

 * 1957 - 2010

Associated Acts

 * Black Sabbath
 * Dio
 * Rainbow
 * Elf
 * Kerry Livgren
 * Heaven & Hell
 * Hear 'n Aid

With Dio:

 * Every Dio Release.

With Black Sabbath:

 * Heaven and Hell - 1980
 * Black and Blue - 1980
 * Mob Rules - 1981
 * Live Evil - 1982
 * Dehumanizer - 1992
 * The Sabbath Stones - 1996
 * Black Sabbath: Live at Hammersmith Odeon - 2007
 * Black Sabbath: The Dio Years - 2007
 * Hangin' with Heaven and Hell - 2007
 * The Rules of Hell - 2008

With Rainbow:

 * Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow - 1975
 * Rising - 1976
 * On Stage - 1977
 * Long Live Rock 'n' Roll - 1978
 * The Best of Rainbow - 1981
 * Finyl Vinyl - 1986
 * Rainbow: Live in Germany - 1990
 * The Very Best of Rainbow - 1997
 * 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Raibow - 2000
 * Rainbow: Live in Munich 1977 - 2006
 * Deutschland Tournee 1976 - 2006

With Elf:

 * Elf (Album) - 1972
 * Carolina County Ball -1974
 * Trying to Burn the Sun - 1975
 * The Gargantuan - 1978
 * The Elf Albums - 1994

With Heaven & Hell:

 * Heaven & Hell: Live from Radio City Music Hall - 2007
 * The Devil You Know - 2009
 * Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell - 2010