Artist info:
Also known as
Verified yes
GenreMetal, Rock, Rock & Roll, Classical
Rank2,425 (new)
Albums49
Songs321
AboutRonald James Padavona joined/formed his first band in 1957 called The Vegas Kings, which was later changed to Ronnie & The Rumblers, and ultimately Ronnie & The Red Caps; this band called it quits in 1961. Next he formed Ronnie Dio and The Prophets in the Autumn of 1961; the band lasted until 1967. After this Dio formed The Electric Elves (1967-1969) who changed their name first to The Elves (1969-1970), and finally the more well known Elf (1970-1975).
Due to Elf's association with Deep Purple Dio was invited to sing for a Ritchie Blackmore solo project that went on to become Rainbow, who he sang for from 1975 to 1978. After leaving Rainbow he replaced Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath, recording two studio albums between 1979 and 1982 before leaving under acrimonious circumstances.
Dio took drummer Vinny Appice with him from Sabbath to form his own, eponymous band Dio, which started in 1983.
Dio was put on hold in the early 90s when Ronnie rejoined Black Sabbath, and was reactivated with a new line-up after he quit the band (again under stormy circumstances) after only one album.
Ronnie James Dio is generally credited as the originator of the famous mano cornuta (or "devil horns") symbol in the metal world. According to him, his grandmother used to make the symbol as a signal to ward off evil. Dio started using the gesture onstage in the early days of his career.
Scott Warren was part of the Dio line-up from 1993 to the end of the band in 2010, but mostly was only called upon to perform live, with Ronnie or his writing partner (whomever it was at the time) performing the keyboard parts in the studio.
In 2003, Ronnie accidentally cut off his thumb in a bizarre gardening accident. It was later sewn back on and became fully functional again.
Roger Glover, the bass player of Deep Purple, had, as a solo artist, a world wide hit in 1974, "Love is All". It had, for those days, a very special video-clip, with a frog. It was Ronnie James Dio who did the vocals for that song.
Dio rejoined his Black Sabbath band-mates again in 2007, this time under the name Heaven & Hell. They released one album in 2009, which would be the final record of his long career.
Ronnie James Dio died in a hospital in Texas on May 16th, 2010 after battling stomach cancer, and thus the Dio band was no more.
Craig Goldy, Scott Warren and Simon Wright, along with vocalists Tim "Ripper" Owens and Toby Jepson, have continued to tour in tribute as Dio Disciples. James LoMenzo and Doro Pesch have filled in for Rudy Sarzo and Owens, respectively.
Vivian Campbell, Jimmy Bain, Vinny Appice and Claude Schnell have also formed their own band, named Last in Line (after Dio's sophomore album), and perform live.
Compilation Appearances:
- "Don't Talk to Strangers" on Hardrock '83 (Vertigo, 1983)
- "Don't Talk to Strangers" on Apocalypse '84 (Vertigo, 1984)
- "Rainbow in the Dark" on Masters of Metal (K-tel, 1984)
- "Holy Diver" on White Hot (K-tel, 1984)
- "Holy Diver" on Giants of Steel (Roadrunner, 1984)
- "The Last in Line" on The Heavy Way (Vertigo, 1984)
- "Hungry for Heaven" on Metal Madness (Concept, 1985)
- "Mystery" on Crazed - An All Out Metal Assault (JCI, 1985)
- "Mystery" on Power, Rage And Burning Angels - The Best Of Heavy Metal (JCI, 1985)]
- "Hungry for Heaven" (live) on Hear 'n Aid (An All-Star Album For Famine Relief) (Mercury, 1986)
- "The Last in Line" on Metal for Lunch (Attic, 1986)
- "Stand Up and Shout" on Masters of Metal (K-tel, 1986)
- "Rock n' Roll Children" and "The Last in Line" on The Power of Metal Hammer (Dino Music, 1986)
- "The Last in Line" on Metal (Mercury, 1986)
- "Rock n' Roll Children" on Slave to the Metal (Priority, 1986)
- "Hungry for Heaven" on Metal Force (K-tel, 1987)
- "Hungry for Heaven" on The Very Best of Metal Hammer (Dino Music, 1987)
- "Don't Talk to Strangers" on Metal Meltdown (K-tel, 1988)
- "Dream Evil" on Protect the Innocent - 30 Metal Monsters (Telstar, 1989)
- "Holy Diver" on Giants of Rock - The Metal Decade 1982-83 Vol. 2 (Teldec, 1990)
- "All the Fools Sailed Away" on Classic Metal Ballads (Polygram, 1991)
- "Born on the Sun" on Hard 'N Heavy (1991)
- "The Last in Line" on Monuments (Elap, 1992)
Due to Elf's association with Deep Purple Dio was invited to sing for a Ritchie Blackmore solo project that went on to become Rainbow, who he sang for from 1975 to 1978. After leaving Rainbow he replaced Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath, recording two studio albums between 1979 and 1982 before leaving under acrimonious circumstances.
Dio took drummer Vinny Appice with him from Sabbath to form his own, eponymous band Dio, which started in 1983.
Dio was put on hold in the early 90s when Ronnie rejoined Black Sabbath, and was reactivated with a new line-up after he quit the band (again under stormy circumstances) after only one album.
Ronnie James Dio is generally credited as the originator of the famous mano cornuta (or "devil horns") symbol in the metal world. According to him, his grandmother used to make the symbol as a signal to ward off evil. Dio started using the gesture onstage in the early days of his career.
Scott Warren was part of the Dio line-up from 1993 to the end of the band in 2010, but mostly was only called upon to perform live, with Ronnie or his writing partner (whomever it was at the time) performing the keyboard parts in the studio.
In 2003, Ronnie accidentally cut off his thumb in a bizarre gardening accident. It was later sewn back on and became fully functional again.
Roger Glover, the bass player of Deep Purple, had, as a solo artist, a world wide hit in 1974, "Love is All". It had, for those days, a very special video-clip, with a frog. It was Ronnie James Dio who did the vocals for that song.
Dio rejoined his Black Sabbath band-mates again in 2007, this time under the name Heaven & Hell. They released one album in 2009, which would be the final record of his long career.
Ronnie James Dio died in a hospital in Texas on May 16th, 2010 after battling stomach cancer, and thus the Dio band was no more.
Craig Goldy, Scott Warren and Simon Wright, along with vocalists Tim "Ripper" Owens and Toby Jepson, have continued to tour in tribute as Dio Disciples. James LoMenzo and Doro Pesch have filled in for Rudy Sarzo and Owens, respectively.
Vivian Campbell, Jimmy Bain, Vinny Appice and Claude Schnell have also formed their own band, named Last in Line (after Dio's sophomore album), and perform live.
Compilation Appearances:
- "Don't Talk to Strangers" on Hardrock '83 (Vertigo, 1983)
- "Don't Talk to Strangers" on Apocalypse '84 (Vertigo, 1984)
- "Rainbow in the Dark" on Masters of Metal (K-tel, 1984)
- "Holy Diver" on White Hot (K-tel, 1984)
- "Holy Diver" on Giants of Steel (Roadrunner, 1984)
- "The Last in Line" on The Heavy Way (Vertigo, 1984)
- "Hungry for Heaven" on Metal Madness (Concept, 1985)
- "Mystery" on Crazed - An All Out Metal Assault (JCI, 1985)
- "Mystery" on Power, Rage And Burning Angels - The Best Of Heavy Metal (JCI, 1985)]
- "Hungry for Heaven" (live) on Hear 'n Aid (An All-Star Album For Famine Relief) (Mercury, 1986)
- "The Last in Line" on Metal for Lunch (Attic, 1986)
- "Stand Up and Shout" on Masters of Metal (K-tel, 1986)
- "Rock n' Roll Children" and "The Last in Line" on The Power of Metal Hammer (Dino Music, 1986)
- "The Last in Line" on Metal (Mercury, 1986)
- "Rock n' Roll Children" on Slave to the Metal (Priority, 1986)
- "Hungry for Heaven" on Metal Force (K-tel, 1987)
- "Hungry for Heaven" on The Very Best of Metal Hammer (Dino Music, 1987)
- "Don't Talk to Strangers" on Metal Meltdown (K-tel, 1988)
- "Dream Evil" on Protect the Innocent - 30 Metal Monsters (Telstar, 1989)
- "Holy Diver" on Giants of Rock - The Metal Decade 1982-83 Vol. 2 (Teldec, 1990)
- "All the Fools Sailed Away" on Classic Metal Ballads (Polygram, 1991)
- "Born on the Sun" on Hard 'N Heavy (1991)
- "The Last in Line" on Monuments (Elap, 1992)
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