History Music / RonnieJamesDio

* CoolOldGuy: He was 38 when he first sang for Music/BlackSabbath and 67 when he toured for the last time.

He unfortunately was diagnosed with stomach cancer in November 2009. He [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascended into]] [[Pantheon/MusicGreaterGods Rock & Roll Heaven]] on May 16th, 2010, at 7:45 AM after a long and hard battle.

* {{Motifs}}: Rainbows, eyes and dreams.

* HeavyMithril: Half of the lyrics he wrote carried heavy fantasy tropes such as magic and dragons. He was in a band called Elf, and the music video for ''Holy Diver'' features a sword-wielding Dio running through a spooky castle and fighting medieval dudes.

* HeavyMithril: He was in a band called Elf, and the music video for ''Holy Diver'' features a sword-wielding Dio running through a spooky castle and fighting medieval dudes.

** He also sang "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" on the ''We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year'' album.
** He further collaborated with Malmsteen and added [[Music/JudasPriest Tim]] [[Music/IcedEarth "Ripper"]] [[Music/YngwieMalmsteen Owens]] to the mix to cover Music/OzzyOsbourne's [[Creator/AleisterCrowley "Mr. Crowley"]]. In both of his collaborations with the guitarist, Malmsteen plays approximately two or three times more notes than necessary.

** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEV4Tov1GBM music video]] for ''The Last in Line'' makes less than no sense -- [[WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs it makes negative sense]]. All we can say is...it was TheSeventies.[[note]]However, the video is no less awesome for it.[[/note]]

* CarefulWIthThatAxe: The first ~30 seconds of ''The Last In Line'' are pretty gung-ho...then the real song starts.

Born Ronald James Padavona, '''Ronnie James Dio''' (July 10, 1942 -- May 16, 2010) was a Heavy Metal musician from New Hampshire. He was well known for his powerful singing voice and popularizing [[WardingGestures "the horns"]] hand gesture. He worked with Elf, Music/{{Rainbow}}, Music/BlackSabbath, and his own solo band Dio. Near the end of his life, he handled the vocal duties of a reunited Sabbath, under the name Heaven and Hell.

** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEV4Tov1GBM music video]] for ''The Last in Line'' makes less than no sense -- it makes negative sense. All we can say is...it was TheSeventies.[[note]]However, the video is no less awesome for it.[[/note]]

** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEV4Tov1GBM music video]] for ''The Last in Line'' makes less than no sense -- it makes negative sense. All we can say is...it was TheSeventies.

[[caption-width-right:291:Gaze into the eyes of your new god. [[CthulhuMythos Because even dead gods dream.]]]]

->''"Because Dio taught me, in part, what it is to be a man. Oh, he did not teach the rational lessons: He did not teach me morality, or responsibility, or restraint. No, Stanley, he taught me that being a man means sometimes ruining things in the most extravagant fashion possible. Because you can, and because it’s awesome."''

!Discography:

* ''Main/{{Heaven and Hell}}'' (1980)

'''Main/{{Heaven and Hell}}''':

-----
!!Ronnie James Dio provides examples of:

* BerserkButton: Vivian Campbell, the ex-guitarist of his solo act. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOwZBo8FQvo Observe.]] He starts ranting at about 45 seconds in. According to [[http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/vinny-appice-explains-vivian-campbell-s-hostility-toward-ronnie-james-dio/ Vinnie Appice]] their mutual dislike stemmed from arguments over band business decisions that Viv disagreed with. Ronnie did later [[http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/jimmy-bain-firing-vivian-campbell-was-the-biggest-mistake-of-ronnie-james-dio-s-career/ express some regret]] for his harsh words.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: He was normally a pretty nice, calm guy... until you pissed him off. See BerserkButton.
* BluesRock: Before Dio joined {{Music/Rainbow}}, Elf's music awesomely combined HardRock with RhythmAndBlues.
* TheCameo: ''Music/TenaciousD'' appeared on the music video of "Push". He then appeared on ''Film/TenaciousDInThePickOfDestiny'' as himself.

** As does the word [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrrnySxbuE8 "NIGHT"]].

* CoolOldGuy: He was 38 when he first sang for Black Sabbath and 67 when he toured for the last time.

** He contributed vocals to ''Welcome To My Nightmare: An All-Star Salute To Music/AliceCooper'', on the song "Welcome to My Nightmare".
** He also sang "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" on the ''We Wish You A Metal Xmas And A Headbanging New Year'' album.

** Making that an example of [[EverythingsBetterWithRainbows Rainbows Are Better With Dio]].

* PintSizedPowerhouse : Packed one of the most powerful voices in hard rock/metal history into a 5'4" frame.

* StageNames: Dio took his name from an Italian mafia member Johnny Dioguardi. For your information, dio is italian for God.
* StartMyOwn: After he left Music/BlackSabbath.

!!His solo career provides the examples of:

* BreakupSong: "As Long As It's Not About Love" from ''Magica''.
* ConceptAlbum: ''Magica''
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: His doo-wop records from the early-60's... Enough said.

* PowerBallad: "All the Fools Sailed Away", "This is Your Life" and "As Long As It's Not About Love"

* TheXOfY: ''Master of the Moon''
* UrExample: His work (solo and as a member of Music/{{Rainbow}} and Music/BlackSabbath) was a huge influence on PowerMetal both musically and lyrically, and he's sometimes credited as inventing it, though it tends to differ from most later PowerMetal due to being slower and a bit less technically flashy on average.

** Also the title of a ThreeInchesOfBlood tribute to him.

** He further collaborated with Malmsteen and added [[Music/JudasPriest Tim]] [[IcedEarth "Ripper"]] [[Music/YngwieMalmsteen Owens]] to the mix to cover Music/OzzyOsbourne's [[Creator/AleisterCrowley "Mr. Crowley"]]. In both of his collaborations with the guitarist, Malmsteen plays approximately two or three times more notes than necessary.

* MusicalThemeNaming: Not himself, but his name was used for [[JojosBizarreAdventure Dio Brando]], who is considered a very influential villain in the development of manga.

* ''Heaven and Hell'' (1980)

'''Heaven and Hell''':

He unfortunately was diagnosed with stomach cancer in November 2009. He [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascended into]] [[Pantheon/MusicGreaterGods Rock & Roll Heaven]] May 16th, 2010, at 7:45 AM after a long, hard battle, confirmed by his wife Wendy Dio on his official website.

* AuthorExistenceFailure: [[TearJerker Unfortunately.]] The sadness factor of Dio's death is brought UpToEleven when you discover that just about 12 hours before he ''did'' die, a rumor got out that he was gone. His wife said he was hanging in there- not doing good, but alive. This was at about 3:00 AM, May 16th. Flash forward 4 hours, 45 minutes...
* BerserkButton: Vivian Campbell. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOwZBo8FQvo Observe.]] He starts ranting at about 45 seconds in. According to [[http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/vinny-appice-explains-vivian-campbell-s-hostility-toward-ronnie-james-dio/ Vinnie Appice]] their mutual dislike stemmed from arguments over band business decisions that Viv disagreed with. Ronnie did later [[http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/jimmy-bain-firing-vivian-campbell-was-the-biggest-mistake-of-ronnie-james-dio-s-career/ express some regret]] for his harsh words.

* CreativeDifferences: His animosity towards Ritchie Blackmore was ''legendary'' due to their highly adversarial relationship while Dio was in Rainbow.

* HeyItsThatVoice: He voiced Dr. X on {{Queensryche}}'s ''[[OperationMindcrime Operation: Mindcrime II]]'' album.
** He sang on couple of songs on Roger Glover's ''The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast'' album.
** He also sang background vocals on Big Band version of "Holy Diver" on Pat Boone's ''In a Metal Mood'' album.

* OldShame: When some of the songs from his earlier years resurfaced in the internet, Dio claimed he would've been happier if they had stayed hidden.

* RatedMForManly
* StageNames: Dio took his name from an italian mafia member Johnny Dioguardi. For your information, dio is italian for God.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: He wasn't working on one, but ''two'' sequels for the ''Magica'' album before he died. Also, a second Heaven & Hell album was also planned.
** In the wake of Dio's death, [[{{Edguy}} Tobias Sammet]] revealed that the two of them had been discussing the possibility of Dio guesting in Music/{{Avantasia}}.
** He was originally cast to play Doviculus in BrutalLegend, but the role later went to Tim Curry. Rumors speculated that the reason for Dio's departure from the project was because of behind the scenes fighting with Ozzy Osbourne (who did lend his voice to the game), but Tim Schafer set the story straight by saying that, as Doviculus changed over the course of development, Curry simply fit the role better than Dio (siting Curry's role in the film ''Film/{{Legend}}'' as a good example of why). Still feels like a NegatedMomentOfAwesome to not have Dio involved in the project though, considering that lending his voice to a game that celebrates everything heavy metal would have been a fitting send off.

* BlackSheepHit: ''Rainbow in the Dark'' is one of his most well-known songs, but after recording it, Dio thought that it sounded too "pop", and would have destroyed the tape, if the other band members had not talked him out of it. He later warmed a bit up to the song, eventually using it as one of his signature songs.

* {{Mascot}}: Demonic Murray, who is always giving the horns.

He unfortunately was diagnosed with stomach cancer in November 2009. He [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascended into]] [[{{Pantheon/Music}} Rock & Roll Heaven]] May 16th, 2010, at 7:45 AM after a long, hard battle, confirmed by his wife Wendy Dio on his official website.

* BerserkButton: Vivian Campbell. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOwZBo8FQvo Observe.]] He starts ranting at about 45 seconds in. According to [[http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/vinny-appice-explains-vivian-campbell-s-hostility-toward-ronnie-james-dio/ Vinnie Appice]] their mutual dislike stemmed from arguments over band business decisions that Viv disagreed with.

* BerserkButton: Vivian Campbell. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOwZBo8FQvo Observe.]] He starts ranting at about 45 seconds in.

'''Ronnie James Dio''' (born Ronald James Padavona) was a Heavy Metal musician from New Hampshire. He was well known for his powerful singing voice and popularizing [[WardingGestures "the horns"]] hand gesture. He worked with Elf, Music/{{Rainbow}}, Music/BlackSabbath, and his own solo band Dio. Near the end of his life, he handled the vocal duties of a reunited Sabbath, under the name Heaven and Hell.