Ronnie James Dio, RIP
Ronnie James Dio has passed away after a battle against cancer.
In a statement, wife/manager Wendy Dio said: “Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7:45 a.m. on May 16. 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.
“We so appreciate the love and support that you have all given us.
“Please give us a few days of privacy to deal with this terrible loss.
“Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever.”
An all-time great, Dio was born in 1942. He first released a record in 1958 under the band name of Ronnie & The Red Caps. But he made his name in the early 1970s with Elf. From there, he achieved legendary status with Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and Heaven & Hell. Dio was also the person who brought the devil horn sign into metal, when he joined Sabbath.
Last year, the iconic vocalist was diagnosed with stomach cancer, but it was felt this had been caught early enough to ensure successful treatment. And Heaven & Hell even booked a series of summer festival dates in the UK and Europe – including a slot at Classic Rock’s High Voltage festival.
However, these apperances were cancelled earlier this month, when it became obvious that Dio simply wasn’t well enough.
Tributes have poured in from the world of rock and metal. Here is just a selection:
Ritchie Blackmore – “Ronnie had a unique and wonderful voice. He will be sadly missed in the rock and roll world.”
Lars Ulrich – “Dear Ronnie,
“I just got off stage in Zagreb. I was met with the news that you’ve passed on. I’m kind of in shock, but I wanted you to know that you were one of the main reasons I made it onto that stage to begin with.
“When I first saw you in Elf, opening for Deep Purple in 1975, I was completely blown away by the power in your voice, your presence on stage, your confidence, and the ease with which you seemed to connect to 6,000 Danish people and one starry-eyed 11-year-old, most of whom were not familiar with Elf’s music. The following year, I was so psyched when I heard the results of you joining forces with my favourite guitar player. You guys sounded so right for each other and I instantly became Rainbow’s #1 fan in Denmark.
“In the fall of 1976, when you played your first show in Copenhagen, I was literally in the front row and the couple of times we made eye contact you made me feel like the most important person in the world. The news that you guys were staying in town on your day off somehow embedded itself in my brain and I made the pilgrimage to the Plaza Hotel to see if I could somehow grab a picture, an autograph, a moment, anything. A few hours later you came out and were so kind and caring… pictures, autographs and a couple minutes of casual banter. I was on top of the world, inspired and ready for anything. Rainbow came to Copenhagen a couple more times over the next few years and each time you guys blew my mind, and for a good three years were my absolute favourite band on this planet.
“Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to run into you a half dozen times or so and each time you were as kind, caring and gracious as you were in 1976 outside the hotel.
“When we finally got a chance to play together in Austria in 2007, even though I may not have let on, I was literally transformed back to that little snot-nosed kid who you met and inspired 31 years earlier and it was such a fucking honour and a dream come true to share a stage with you and the rest of the legends in Heaven & Hell.
“A couple of weeks ago when I heard that you were not going to be able to make it to the Sonisphere shows that we would be sharing this June, I wanted to call you and let you know that I was thinking of you and wish you well, but I kind of pussied out, thinking the last thing you needed in your recovery was feeling obligated to take a phone call from a Danish drummer/fan boy. I wish I’d made that call.
“We will miss you immensely on the dates, and we will be thinking of you with great admiration and affection during that run. It seemed so right to have you out on tour with the so-called ‘Big Four’ since you obviously were one of the main reasons that the four bands even exist.
“Your ears will definitely be burning during those two weeks because all of us will be talking, reminiscing and sharing stories about how knowing you has made our lives that much better.
“Ronnie, your voice impacted and empowered me, your music inspired and influenced me, and your kindness touched and moved me. Thank you.
“Much love.”
Kiss – “We mourn the tragic passing of the great Ronnie James Dio. In addition to his powerhouse vocal ability, Ronnie was a true gentleman who always emanated great warmth and friendship to us and everyone around him. We will miss him.”
Judas Priest – “We are filled with great sadness at the terrible news about our friend Ronnie James Dio.
“Our condolences and love go to Wendy and Ronnie’s family.
“Ronnie was a wonderful man and will be sorely missed.”
Slash – “His music will live for eternity”.
David Coverdale – “So very sad to hear of Ronnie’s passing… My thoughts, prayers and condolence to his family and friends.”
Scott Ian – “Rest in peace, Ronnie James Dio. Horns at half mast. Such a huge loss…
“So many memories of Ronnie. Toured together many times. He always had a kind word and a smile and he LOVED the Yankees.
“In 2004 on the Dio/Anthrax tour I would get the Yankee score every inning for Ronnie while he was on stage. He was so into it.
“Saw Black Sabbath on the ‘Black & Blue’ tour (Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult) at Madison Square Garden, in 1980. First row centre.
“Ronnie was king of the world. Top three shows of all time.”
Twisted Sister – “The members of Twisted Sister, along with millions of metal fans around the world, mourn the death of our friend Ronnie James Dio. Ronnie not only was a giant in the worldwide metal scene, but he was also one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet. Beginning in 1983 when we first toured with Ronnie in Canada, and continuing over the last seven years when we played dozens of festivals around the world, Ronnie was one of the most supportive and gracious members of the music community.”
Glenn Hughes – “It is a very sad day today… I have lost a very dear friend.
“Ronnie was a true leader of heavy metal… an icon and a visionary… There will never be another like him.
“Ronnie gave me wisdom, and showed me great compassion when he was in Elf, all those years ago, when we were on tour together in my time in Deep Purple. He was a beautiful soul, kind, considerate and a wonderful teacher.
“Some day I’ll be bringing your microphone up there with me, and we’ll sing a song, and share a Vindaloo together…
“I’ll miss, you mate.”
Sebastian Bach – “Crying right now in remembrance of my hero and friend, Ronnie James Dio.
“Dio died this morning and he was a major, major part of my life. I got to do shows with him and work with him and I loved Dio my whole life.
“Thanks so much.
“The world has lost one of the best.
“Your last album was your best. Of course.”
But the best tribute Classic Rock can pay is to urge you to celebrate the man’s immense musical contribution. For instance:
With Rainbow performing Man On The Silver Mountain
It seems trite but he WAS a giant in rock and someone who will be missed. Leaving with Bible Black was a high note. Have fun Ronnie.
A VERY sad day, i grew up with Rainbow, Long Live Rock ‘n Roll was the first album i ever bought, i still have it, and will be playing it today, FULL BLAST !!
R.I.P. RONNIE. Rock on.
This is so sad. I can’t think of anything to say that hasn’t been said already except thank you Ronnie, you will be sorely missed. You were, and always will be, one of a kind.
Dio,
Thank you for being a friend through out my life. You ve been a friend with your music since I was a little kid. Some days ago, I was listening to DONT TALK TO STRANGERS in the car with my little girl (6 years old), driving her to school.
Thats the impact of your music to peoples lifes.
R.I.P.
DIO is a awesome artist and will be missed. His music will live on forever.
RIP Ronnie James Dio \m/
that’s a very very very sad day … RIP Ronnie, we’ll never forget you!
A very sad day for rock. The four albums Ronnie recorded with Rainbow were, in my opinion, the best of his career. I always liked the fact that more than perhaps anyone else who worked with him, he seemed to take Blackmore’s foibles with terrific good humour and grace.
Long live rock’n'roll.
Am so saddened and in shock…
Ronnie, you were one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time…rest in peace…the World has lost a true star.
Our thoughts are with Wendy, your friends and family.
Thank you for all the amazing music you brought to us…your legacy and memory will never fade!
Love live Rock And Roll!
Very sad news that Ronnie James Dio has passed away he was always my favourite vocalist.I was lucky to see him sing with Rainbow and in Dio.He was a small guy with an amazing voice.Holydiver,Heaven and Hell,Long Live Rock n Roll and my favourite album of all time Rainbow Rising thank you r.i.p.
RIP Ronnie, you will be missed.
RIP Ronnie, one of the best and most iconic singer over the past 30 years. A true legend who will never be forgotten and the songs will live on forever.
Thanks you for some of the greatest rock songs ever.
Long Live Ronnie James Dio
Shocked to hear this news, Ronnie was one of the greatest voices in rock, one you could recognise instantly. He is a genuine legend and a great loss to music.
I suggest “Light in the black” from Rainbow Rising at maximum volume to add to CR suggestions above.
R.I.P.
The week couldn´t have got off to a worst start , this is really sad and terrible news for all us who love rock music . My heart goes out to the Family and Friends of Ronnie James Dio , God bless you Ronnie !
A very sad day….another of my heroes passes into the halls of Valhalla.
“They say that life’s a carousel spinning fast you’ve got to ride it well…”
Such a sad day. I will never forget the man with the most magnificent voice in rock. The horns are truly at half mast today.
Ronnie James Dio, Legend, the rock n roll choir in Heaven will be singing a little louder now.
So sad.Another legend bites the dust.Have seen Ronnie many times over the last 26 years,every show awesome,pure entertainment.He really was part of the crowd and really connected.There aren’t too many performers like that.RIP
RONNIE JAMES DIO,an iconic front man with a voice that made heavy rock sound like it should.only got to see you once in nottingham rock city where you played the whole of the holy diver album plus lots of other brilliant songs from rainbow and black sabbath,the world has lost a great man.my thoughts are with your wife and family.GOD BLESS RONNIE SLEEP WELL MY FRIEND.
Absolutely gutted. Ronnie was for me the greatest heavy rock vocalist of all time. The singer on so many classic albums and songs his legacy will live on through the music he left behind. Rock in peace Ronnie.
good article and some great quotes. RIP.
Stunned! Absolutely stunned. What a terribly sad day. R.I.P Ronnie. You were one of the great voices of rock.
RIP Ronnie – the word legend is banded about far too much but you sir are truly deserving of that monicker.
As Scott Ian said, Devils Horns at half mast
\m/ \m/
Very sad day… R.I.P Ronnie James Dio.
DIO on the ‘The Last In Line’ tour at the Hammy O was my first concert all those years ago. One of the men responsible for the ensuing 20-odd years of music tastes, he will be sadly missed by anyone and everyone who loves this music of ours. RJD – RIP
“…we’ve lost the Rising Sun, a final sign…”
RIP Ronnie, and thank you for the music. \m/
Condolences to Wendy and family, your loss is shared by millions. A sad day…
Reading the above made me cry, especially the lovely tribute from Lars. I’m happy to say that I saw Ronnie onstage many, many times from Sabbath’s ‘Heaven And Hell’ tour onwards. Happier still to say that all of my own professional dealings with Ronnie were extremely pleasurable. He was a great, great artist and a truly lovely fella. Ronnie RIP. I will miss you.
Completely shocked at this terrible news. Ronnie was an absolute legend. My thoughts to his family at this time. R.I.P
Classic Rock how about showing some respect and take Heaven and Hell off of your advert for High Voltage you have been asked and asked
I’m going to listen to Stargazer a lot today. Farewell Dio, you have always been a legend.
Ronnie i am sadden by your passing. I discovered your wonderful voice when you were in Rainbow. My thoughts are with your family May you rest in peace Ronnie.
The greatest Rock vocalist of all time….bar None !! A man you always associated with the music we all love and he will be greatly missed. R.I.P Ronnie
Rip
For me, Ronnie is right up there with the greats, Ian Gillan, Robert Plant, Paul Rodgers. He earned his place there with tremendous albums and wonderful live shows. I think the best tribute I can give is that when Ronnie told his fans he loved them, you actually knew he meant it, and was not just traipsing out a bland line. Wherever Ronnie has ended up, I believe he has earned a rest, and will always live on in our memories. May your god bless you Ronnie.
RIP Ronnie. You`ll be greatly missed by all lovers of rock. I first saw him with Rainbow at Hammy O in 1976 as a 16 year old and was blown away by his amazing voice and easy going manner with the crowd. I followed him ever since with Dio, Sabbah and Heaven & Hell. His voice never lost that power and range and in fact improved with age. My thoughts are with his family at this sad time. God bless ya.
Shocked, Stunned and totally Saddened, A life long hero, a master of his craft, a true superstar and a real “Light in the Black”. Thank you Ronnie, gone but never forgotten.
R.I.P
Greatly saddened to hear this terrible news. I was looking forward to seeing Ronnie again soon and thankfully went to see Heaven n Hell when they were last on tour. Hope all the bands pay him the tribute he deserves at this year’s festivals.
Totally in shock this morning at hearing the news here…very sad day, i really thought he’d pull through too…devil horns at full tilt today \m/
really sad news.i only found out through the brian may website,hich i check out most days.i wouldnt say i was a massive fan of ronnie,even to say i really dismissed black sabbath after the ozzy era,i always thought ronnie had a great vioce after hearing stuff like long live rock n roll.recently i started listening to mob rules and heaven and hell which of course he did with sabbath,then of course bought the heaven and hell album which i loved.was so looking forward to seeing heaven and hell at victoria park,but was a bit surprised,considering ronnie going through tratment,that they were added to the bill.really sad,i thought ronnie was gonna beat this much love to his family,we grieve with you xxxx
A truly sad day for rock, you will be missed by so many.
Saw you many times from second band on the bill at Donington ‘83 to Sheff Arena with H&H. In the top 5 rock vocalists of all time. R.I.P
Totally shocked and saddened and feel like I’ve lost a member of my own family. Saw Dio many times and in Heaven and Hell, we have lost a great man and THE best rock metal singer. What a sad day. Listening to Holy Diver
The world will be a sadder place without Ronnie, his legacy will remain with us forever. The man left his mark.
Sad, sad, sad…
Ronnie has gone off to catch the rainbow – and we will miss his unbeatable belief in sticking to his guns.
His music will live on forever, and it will – and listening to all the favourites now is both a consolation – and a terrible reminder of what we’ve lost; the little man with the biggest voice. Die Young!
Just heard the sad news I’m devastated, a true legend it’s the end of an era. What more can I say but he lives on with the music legacy he has left behind. RIP Ronnie in Heaven or Hell.
this is a tragedy that such a huge iconic metal guy like dio has gone but his amazing legacy will be here forever and he probably was the greatest heavy metal vocalist of all time ,the thing thats so unique about metal is tragic loss will bring the entire metal community even closer musicians and fans alike r.i.p.my friend xxxxjonny
Devastating News, loved the little giants voice and have grown up with his music since the day’s of Rainbow.
He’ll be sadly missed by many.
RIP
A great loss to us all.
So sad to hear about RJD, I met him at Gods of Metal in Italy in 07 and we had a few drinks together, I was picking up the Glyder merch backstage and he was having a glass of wine and he invited me and my wife Linda into his dressing room, we stayed for about an hour and had a great chat. He was such a gentleman and then I got the honour of opening for Dio in Stockholm in 08 ,he was so nice to us and on both occasions kept giving me beer and apologising for not having any Guinness. He was so sharp and remembered me from Italy. They say never meet your heroes and I met mine and I
wasn’t disappointed he was a true gentleman. His music brought me so much over the years since I was a teenager listening to Mob Rules , Heaven and Hell and Dehumaniser and the Dio solo stuff. RIP Ronnie
I was a massive fan! but being 15 didn’t get the chance to see him live… Rest in fucking peace
rip ronnie james dio
Gutted. Shocked. Sad. Saw Ronnie many times over the years and he was always brilliant – the greatest vocalist and entertainer. His music and lyrics have always been a constant companion to me, in good times and in bad. RIP Ronnie and condolences to family and friends. You will be missed but your legend will live on through the music.
“Long live Rock and Roll!”
I grew up with my dad blasting Black Sabbath, Rainbow and Dio and so I became a fan too. I finally got to see him in Heaven and Hell a couple of years back and this small statured giant of rock and roll was truly amazing to watch.
You will be truly missed. I salute you \m/
RIP Ronnie
i’m absolutely shocked.
Today the music died.
Truly a very very sad day….I am choking up.
I second all the above. Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll. Long Live RJD. RIP – you legend.
Goodbye Ronnie!
. The music world and everyother part of it will miss you like hell. You were always right YOU ROCK! Rock in peace my brother.
What a legend!! I’m a massive Dio fan and I am feeling quite sad at his passing. Your music will live on forever and I crack a heavy smile as I remember you pointed at me in Bristol Academy some years ago … yes, horns at halfmast x
RIP Ronnie. You’re with God now
The great man was the reason i wanted to play in a Hard Rock/Metal band i wish i could have sang like him but Rainbow/Dio albums helped me improve my Bass playing i sat learning nearly every song and up to only last year was still playing Starstruck in a cover band . Man on a silver mountain Dio you will never be forgotten R.I.P
I may sing in a choir, but I always wanted to sing like Ronnie.
A very very sad day, can’t believe Ronnie has gone. He can be satisifed that he’s left behind a fabulous catalogue of music that will live on longer than any of us.
Typing with tears rolling down my face. Ronnie your music will live with us all forever and a day. Truly a sad day for music fans across the world. R.I.P my friend.
Had tickets to the Dio tour at the end of last year. Cant believe 6 months on the great man is dead. A massive shock.
RIP Ronnie James Dio
A true legend and one of the few vocalists whose voice remained constant, barely touched by age. I consider myself fortunate to have seen him in each of the last three decades. RIP Ronnie.
So sad, my heart just sank when I heard. Lucky enough to see him perform many times and every single one was a great gig. Rock In Peace Ronnie
Can’t add anything that hasn’t already been said, but just wanted to pay the man my respects. My thoughts go out to his friends & family.
It’s a truly sad day for rock music.
RIP Ronnie
Wow. Surprised at how much the news has upset me. Never really appreciated how much Dio meant to my love of metal, even though I was listening to Rainbow as a kid. Now it seems like he’s left such a huge hole.
And I only saw the great man on stage once at Donington in 1987….
It was a privelige to see him perform with Heaven & Hell in 2007. When one man is involved with 3 of the greatest rock albums of all time you know he is a bit special. Thanks Ronnie for the memories of my childhood through Rainbow, Sabbath and Dio. You have made a mark that can never be erased.
A very very sad day. Ronnie’s contribution and importance to the world of rock & metal cannot be under-estimated. Come on Classic Rock, I think a tribute special edition is in order.
To paraphrase the great man: The magic that we feel will last a lifetime.
RIP RJD
This morning I had to wait until I got off the train to crank up Heaven & Hell at to it’s proper volume on the iPod. Cheers Ronnie, thanks for that. RIP.
A legend I was lucky to see many times. One of the all time great vocalists that the underachievers of today should be looking up to!!!
Long Live Rock & Roll!!!
RIP Ronnie!!!!
R.I.P Ronnie James Dio.
A great loss to us all!! He was and still is a big fucking legend!
His music will live on forever! \m/
As a lifelong fan nof Rainbow and Ronnie, I always clung to the hope that Rainbow would reform one day to do a tribute tour. However, Rock music has now lost one of the true legends and I am am in mourning. Ronnie had a fantastic stage presence and a voice made for singing good gutsy rock lyrics. Today is a very sad day for Rock. Rest in peace and your lyrics and memories will live on forever
Feel really emotional at the moment – grew up listening to his great voice. R.I.P. Ronnie
I am so,so sorry hearing the news .God keep you Ronnie I will miss you dearly.
I AM TRULY FIGHTING BACK THE TEARS,THIS IS REALLY ONE OF THE WORST DAYS IN MUSIC HISTORY.THE MUSIC LIVES ON,THE LEGEND THAT IS RONNIE JAMES DIO WILL LIVE ON.
REST IN PEACE
R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio, Pure Metal God
thanks for all the great tunes ronnie, gutted cos he would have been singing well into his 70,s! got the on stage album on now…..long live rock n roll and long live the music of dio!
One Of The Greatest Singer’s I ever heard in the Rock/Metal genre, I met him a few times and he was always a lovely bloke. RIP Ronnie….With All the Black & White Shapes….
What a horrible start to the week. Saw the great man many times, always put on an amazing show and is one of the greatest rock voices of all time, still can’t believe he’s gone. Oh well guys, I suppose this is something we’re gonna have to get used to, our 60s and 70s heroes aren’t gonna live forever, unfortunately.
The greatest honour I can bestow is that Ronnie is probably the only singer to ever release three of the greatest rock albums of all time, all with different bands……..can’t think of any others, can you?
If you’d never produced anything other than Rainbow Rising, Heaven And Hell and Holy Diver, you’d've still been classed as a genius, but add those all-time classics to the list and you have a body of work that may be unsurpassed in the heavy rock/metal world. Long Live Rock n Roll, Rainbow On Stage, The Last In Line, Mob Rules………see what I mean, total genius.
R.I.P. Ronnie, I’m gonna annoy the piss outta my neighbours now……..GATES OF BABYLON here I come.
I remember listening to the friday rock show as a 15 year old and hearing stargazer for the first time from that moment to now I have loved the voice of RJD, saw him on the last in line tour at hammy odeon and heaven and hell a couple of years ago at the NEC, was looking forward to their appearance in Portugal this summer but its not to be, will be thinking of you Ronnie ……… the rainbow has risen
Ronnie James Dio, a gentleman, a great songwriter, marvellous frontman and above all, a uniquely powerful rock voice that may never be bettered. Goodbye Ronnie, and keep rockin’, wherever you are.
R.I.P
i was lucky to see dio do a great gig at soni last year and he will be missed by all as a legend and god of the great age of rock and he even bought us the horns so next time you raise your hands with the horns remember this great man and know hes rocking in heaven and doing a few gigs in hell
we have lost a legend…. Ronnie was one of the greats of rock and metal…… i am totally upset and devastated about this sad news.. i would just like to send my deepest sympathy to Wendy Dio and family. gone but never forgotten R.I.P
we will all miss you Ronnie. this is absolutely devastating news for the rock world. a true legend…………. i would like to send my deepest sympathy to Wendy and family. Ronnie is gone but we will never forget him or his music RIP
‘There’s no sun in the shadow of the Wizard’ – a dark time. God bless you Ronnie \m/ \m/
I had the enormous privilage to see Ronnie over 20 times since 1987 and met him backstage on many occasions. He was the nicest, most amiable fellow every single time I met him. Nothing was too much trouble, photographs, record signings whatever. It got the the stage that he even remembered my name after a few meetings. Needless to say, I’m crushed and devestated at this loss.
When HE believed, WE believed. When HE Said he was ‘going to kick the hell out of cancer’, WE wanted to do it for him.
The world is an emptier place today and so is my heart as well as the hearts of the rest of his fans and especially his family, to whom I send my thoughts, prayers and more love than you can imagine.
Ronnie’s next gig wil be at the BIG arena, and I betcha he’ll have the audience eating out of his hand at the end of it.
Rest in Peace Ol’ mate
I still remember seeing Rainbow in the Dark for the 1st time on MTV. It was amazing to hear him sing and that voice was not only a trademark, but it will forever stand the test of time. I remember wanting to be a perfomrer like Ronnie, even though I never made it, and never really had the pipes. My little Garage band tried very hard to be like him. The 1st time we played Rainbow in the dark, it was horrendous, but man we had fun playing it. Thanks Ronnie for all the Music and Memories!! R.I.P…you will be sorely missed.
Simply the best.So glad to have seen H&H to add to many great Dio shows.RIP great man
THE VOICE OF ROCK. So sad when I read this morning that the great Little Man had gone Somewhere Over The Rainbow. A true gent, who loved ‘his fans’ – there will never be another to equal the power, range and emotion of that voice. If I could have had the chance to meet you I would have just said: ‘Thank You’ – You inspired me in so many ways, you will be missed majorly. Let’s hope that someone puts something decent together as a fitting tribute to your great life and ability. You were The First In Line.
You’ll be missed:”( Mr.Dio now you can catch the rainbow:(
RIP Ronnie you will be missed
Just crying…
I go back to those early days when Elf supported Deep Purple.and it was Coverdale and Hughes’s first tour with them. I can remember hearing a track taken from the Elf LP Carolina county Ball. I didn’t rate the band much but took note of the singer. Then I saw them supporting Purple and thought to myself that the singer was destined for bigger things. When I heard he had joined Blackmore to form Rainbow I thought yes that would work. Other than Man on the Silver Mountain I was dissapointed with the first LP but when Rising come out all sins were forgiven. There was one line in Stargazer which still sends shivers down my back and always will. Musically he took Sabbath to a whole new plain and although I found him inconsistant on his own, when Heaven and Hell reformed and toured I was in seventh Heaven.
One of my dream bands would be Paul Kossoff on Guitar,John Bonham on drums,John Entwhistle on bass and Ronnie on vocals. I’ve got it now.
Very very sad and upset at the passing of a great legend. I was fortunate enough to see the band Dio a couple of times and also Heaven and Hell. God bless, and may you rest in peace.
For some good souls it’s over too soon. I remember listening to Tom Russell on Radio Clyde back in the day as he interviewed Ronnie. You could have listened all night. Always a joy to listen to. Knowledgeable and insightful. Wonderful voice and a great performer. Goodnight Ronnie and thanks for all the musical memories.
Ronnie, you were the reason I became a Metalhead. It all started with Holy Diver and never ended.
RIP Ronnie
Small in hight, massive in voice. The world of Rock will miss you.
Long live rock and roll.
R.I.P. Ronnie. Your music will live forever. We will all make sure of that. \m/
Very sad news indeed. I was lucky enough to see Ronnie twice, once with Heaven and Hell at Wembley Arena and at the Astoria with Dio. Both truly fantastic shows.
I was really looking forward to seeing Heaven and Hell supporting Maiden in Dublin in July.
RIP Ronnie, a real class act.
TODO UN GENTLEMAN DEL METAL!
MUCHO SERA RECORDADO!
SU MUSICA,SU LEGADO!
LARGA VIDA A RONNALD!
DIO 4EVER!!!!
UNTIL THE NEXT TIME!
SEE U ON THE OTHER SIDE,BUDDY!
KEEP ROCKING! WHEREVER U R…………..
Can’t believe …magnificent voice,gigantic talent and most of all a kind generous human being,set examples for others to follow be it in music or in life,condolences to his wife Wendy,family and friends…have to blame Ronnie for setting the path to the music he loved and i love to this day,his words and music are an inspiration for many …Rock In Peace .
It just doesn’t seem real that he is gone. RIP and thank you for giving us great rock ‘n’ roll in your 50+ career.
Ronnie was the true KING OF ROCK’N ROLL
The Grand Wizard of Metal. The Rock world feels like it has lost a limb. R.I.P RJD we will never forget.
I’m truly crushed and this is a massive lost to the world of rock.
I was lucky enough to have seen you perform on many ocassions with Sabbath, Dio and H & H – those memories will live long for the joy they brought me.
Losing your heroes is tough – I can still recall the hollow feeling when I heard that Bon Scott had passed on – and this news is truly saddening.
I just hope that the morons who run the media in the UK ( are you listening bbc ? ) do the right thing and pay sufficient tribute to a small man who had a gigantic influence on the music scene worldwide.
RIP RJD.
RJD apparently never missed a single gig before this dreaded illness, and never gave less than 100% to anything he did. You can bet he fought this evil disease all the way. He was THE best live rock singer ever, and a very engaging personality. God bless you, Ronnie. Hope you meet up with Cozy (and Mel Galley) up there. You are irreplaceable.
the voice of metal is no more…
it is with a sense of deep anguish that i write on the unfortunate demise of ronnie james dio, who to me, was the hendrix of vocals. as a friend used to remark – He can wail, He can whisper, He can sob, He can cry…and he did all of this through Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and Dio…
From Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow to the Last in Line, for nearly 10 years, the voice of metal was umistakably Dio – mighty and powerful, soaring and towering, he rendered songs that were magical and mythical, layered with themes and content that came from his heart…he was also capable of delivering the most tender of ballads – Rainbow Eyes
Some of the songs that come to mind – Catch the rainbow, Temple of the king, Tarot woman, Stargazer, Long live rock n roll, Gates of babylon, Rainbow eyes, Children of the sea, Heaven and hell, Lonely is the word, Sign of the southern cross, falling off the edge of the world, Over and over, Holy diver, Don’t talk to strangers, Rainbow in the dark, We rock, Last in line, Egypt (the chains are on)
Ronnie was a unique stylist with a gifted voice who enthralled legions of fans across the planet
the cruel cancer consumed ronnie but his legacy of work will live on forevermore…
ronnie has simply left his mortal shell to depart to that pantheon of immortality that are meant only for those such as he…
I was 13 and hanging with my uncle at a flea market.He heard some music playing and walked right over to the booth and told the guy he had to have the album he was playing on a beat up stereo.It was Blackmore’s Rainbow,that was the first time I heard Ronnie and have been a fan every since,I’m now 38.His talent goes without saying,but to be his age, still performing up until last year and sounding as great as ever,AN AMAZING MAN
RIP Ronnie. “Long live Rock and Roll.”
Some people are truly inspirational, and Ronnie James Dio was one of those people
Your music has always brought us joy
Thank you so much
We will miss you
A sad Day- Dio at Glasgow Apollo many moons ago-enough said
Gutted…..Truly Gutted…..Goodbye and God Bless
The best the was and the best there ever will!
The world is a sadder place.
53 Years Of Rocking Was Not Long Enough For This True Legend…
Thank You For Your Voice & Music…
My Sympathies Are With Wendy, His Family & Friends…
R.I.P To The Greatest Of All…
RIP Ronnie
LONG LIVE ROCK
i wasn,t the biggest dio fan but,staqrgazer always sends shivers done my spine and ,i had a great affection for the man, due to his affinity with his fans,his affable personality and,liking for curry.the world has lost a damn decent chap.
long live ron n, roll!!!! no longer hungry for heaven.
Ronnie, your body’s gone but your music will live forever.
As said before, Devil Horns at half mast. R.I.P.
Dio finally meets DIO.
We love you Ronnie!
Rest in Peace now.
I think my first taste of rock/metal started with two albums, one being Paranoid by Sabbath and the second being Rainbow Rising. being 4/5 yrs old at the time it was the sleeve that grabbed me then my brother put it on. Holy shit it was one of those moments that will stick with me forever. My brother first played side two first and the music and Ronnie’s voice just made me stop in my tracks and just stare at the sleeve. Brilliant. I’m glad I caught Heaven and Hell at the M.E.N arena a couple of years ago now. Anyway enough waffle, time to crack open a beer and play Rising again. Loudly. R.I.P RJD.
The Greatest voice in Rock RIP Ronnie you have now gone to the biggest jam session in the sky.
Long Live Rock and Roll
so now 2 of the greatest band that ever played have gone – RIP Ronnie – the greatest hard rock singer ever and also singer in the greatest hard rock band ever – Rainbow……
From Ronnie and the Redcaps to Heaven and Hell you brought class and grace to the music you help create. You will be missed.
im very deeply saddened by the death of ronnie i feel as if i have lost a family member i along with millions of rock fans grew up listening to him ,he was one of the main reasons i listened to rock music , the great man may be gone to the big gig in the sky but his music will live on for eternity .
THE WORLD IS A MUCH POORER PLACE WITHOUT RONNIE JAMES DIO MAY GOD WELCOME YOU HOME .
Really sad news..one of the great rock singers.
I was devastated by yesterdays news, first only rumours but then I received an e- mail confirming my worse fears Dio was dead.
Ronnie James Dio you were the Man on the silver mountain and never the Last In Line to Stand Up And Shout. You taught The Rock N Roll children to Don’t Talk To Strangers and The Children Of The Sea to avoid Falling Off The Edge Of The World. You certainly Could Have Been A Dreamer but in the end you were led down another path because The Mob Rules. However you still continued to Dream Evil and your life took you down some Strange Highways, the power of your voice was always a Mystery to others but you were The King Of Rock And Roll . Now the Neon Knights will never be the same, many people have been left with a pain Straight Through The Heart but we will always look up and see the Rainbow In The Dark looking down from our very own Holy Diver,and although your no longer here We Rock to your music everyday. The good certainly Die Young and whether in Heaven Or Hell I’m certain it’s heaven I just heard the Devil Cry, just keep preaching from that Bible Black, we raise our horns to you Mr Dio, you fought the beast but it took you from us, Rest In Peace.
Devastated is the word . I only saw him on stage a couple of years back with heaven and hell . Saw is solo band dio several times . He will never be replaced . God bless you Ronnie take care .
Stand Up And Shout…..The passing of a legend. We will miss you. Metal will miss you. Very,very sad R.I.P. Ronnie.
RIP Ronnie greatly missed by us all…
Long Live Rock and Roll in our soles…
God bless
Rest in peace Ronnie,thankyou for the brilliant music you gave us.It’s a very sad day.
R.I.P Ronnie.The best voice has gone but will not be forgotten.
I`m so sad something this tragic happened! My condulences to Ronnie James Dio`s family, friends and fans!
R.I.P Ronnie James Dio, youre one of a kind that will leave huge shoes that nobody will ever fill.
I loved you Dio!
I was saddened to learn of the death of the Great Ronnie James Dio
Unfortunately i never got to see the great man live in any of his incarnations
be it Rainbow Sabbath or his own mighty band that that bore his name
Having said that his music moved me greatly and what a talent to have allying to the fact that he contributed to some of the most memorable rock music we’ve ever heard before or since i mean for anyone to sing on a album the quality of ”Rainbow Rising” is one thing but to follow it up with many more classics speaks volumes for the man talent and commitment to rock and metal as a whole, My Personal favourite of his was the Dream Evil album of 1987 but really how could you pick just one, Also his influence on all those who came in his wake, a veritable who;s who of metal post Dio
Sadly taken from us too soon but a man never to be forgotten but who will live on forever
as the man himself would say ”LOOK OUT”
RIP Ronnie and thanks for the memories
The first gig I ever saw as a teenager was the Holy Diver tour, Manchester Apollo with my big brother, then again a few days later at London Hammersmith Odeon. After waiting in line in the freezing cold for an autograph the mighty man went to shake my hand and feeling how cold I was, gave it a fatherly rub saying “my, your hands are cold”…I forgot the cold and only saw a total rock legend being so kind to me and have been a fan ever since. Such a unique talent, we’ll miss you so much. RIP.
A very sad day. Ronnie James Dio was a true giant. Irreplaceable ! His music and incredible voice has been a constant throughout my life. In those early formative years when you are not sure how your musical taste is cast in stone Ronnie made my mind up. I have never faultered.
The first time I saw him live was on the Heaven And Hell tour. I was young and excited. The encour was the ubiquitous Paranoid and in the moment I climbed on stage. Rather than being flung off stage I spent the next five minutes with my hero in a true boyhood dream.
I thank you for that moment of magic.
You will be truly missed. A top bloke, great, great singer and lyricist of some truely epic classic rock.
My thoughts are with your soul mate Wendy.
God bless and thankyou for so many happy memories.
another legend leaves us and joins the other side
give em hell
R.I,P
Today marks the day of the passing of a legend. Ronnie was truly the greatest. I had the privilege to see him at Donington in 1983 when he’d just formed Dio. He commanded the stage. More recently I saw him on the ‘Heaven and Hell’ British tour and his voice still roared out from the stage. We may have lost the man on the silver mountain but the afterlife has gained a neon knight. RIP Ronnie.
Thank you ronnie for all the wonderfull music and memories,
RIP.
R.I.P. Ronnie. Condolences to all your family.
You are not gone as your music will live on for ever.
RIP Ronnie,you were a true icon,look at your track record;elf ,rainbow,sabbath,dio,heaven and hell,all top notch heavy metal bands.
your voice and lyrics inspired me as a teenager to help form a rock band and write my own songs with Brik Marine(nwobhm originators),what more could you ask !
long live rock and roll,ronnie.
love and peace,
richard p.
first heard of ronnie james on the rainbow rising album when i was 12 now am 43 and i have loved an always will listin 2 ronnie you have been apart of my life since thank you for the music i love R.I.P
R.I.P. Ronnie.
My introduction to RJD was when I was given a copied cassette with Sacred Heart on side A and Holy Diver on side B (don’t worry I’ve bought legitimate copies since!). Both are Dio albums but were labelled as Rainbow, so for about a year I thought I was listening to Rainbow until I saw both albums at a record fair and thought what the hell’s going on?! After that I got into both Rainbow & Dio (as well as his albums with Sabbath) and always felt he had such a unique and amazing voice. I had the pleasure of seeing him live on two occasions. The first time was when Dio supported Alice Cooper in Edinburgh. Even though he wasn’t headlining I could have gone home happy after his set (glad I didn’t though because Alice was brilliant too!). Second time was Heaven & Hell in Glasgow and that was an awesome gig! He never lost it over the years and he is an inspiration to so many. I am very saddened by the news of his untimely death and my thoughts are with his friends and family.
Very sad news. Ronnie was a fantastic singer. Caught him once with Heaven and Hell and once on his own and both were awesome gigs.
My thought go t his family and friends at this time.
RIP Ronnie. Rock the Heavens
I have scrolled down and read every one of these posts and reached the end of them with tears in my eyes. The posts here are testament to the impact and loss Ronnie’s passing has had on his ‘family’ – the fans, the admirers and kindred spirits. Thank God for the amazing catalogue we are left with to constantly feel that connection time and time again.
You will be missed by all not only the people that enjoy music but anyone that nevers gets to meet u that was the proudest day of my life raising my horns standing next to you after a heaven and hell gig a few year ago at newcastle arena as i sit here and remember that night i cant stop crying i think all music fans tonight are in great disamay over ur passing but as you look down on us we continue to listen to the legendary songs such as holy diver and don’t talk to strangers my heart goes out to all ur friends family and band members R.I.P P.S. looks like heaven needed the god of rock and roll back
A sad, sad day for us all. Great vocalist, great lyricist, wonderful performer. Still remember seeing ‘Die Young’ on TV for the first time in ‘80 and being blown away by the how he projected himself on stage. Heaven & Hell is still the best metal album. RIP Ronnie – Long Live Rock ‘N Roll
very sad to hear of ronnie’s passing. he was one of a kind..
Still cant believe it, God bless Ronnie and thank you for all the wonderful music you have left behind. Rest in peace mate
Very saddened to hear the news of the loss of, in my opinion, rock’s greatest songwriter. Mr Dio, although I posess every album you have made from Rainbow onwards I only got to see you twice. The first is probably my most favorite gig of all time on the ‘intimate evening with Dio’ tour. A great collection of your finest songs in a student union building! I hope you have found your ‘Rock and Roll Angel’
A small tribute to the man, if it wouldn’t be too much hassle joining
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1797257555#!/event.php?eid=127661010581310
Heavy Metal & Hard Rock has lost one of the legends in the Industry. Its a terrible loss which can never be filled again by anyone. Long Live DIO….May his soul rest in peace.
Rest in Peace Ronnie and thank you for being a huge inspiration for all of us, because, besides being the greatest voice of metal, you taught us the most precious lesson: a true rockstar doesn´t need to live a life of booze, debauchery and self destruction. You we´re down to earth, kind and proved us all that being a true star has nothing to do with a huge ego.
Your fans love you and will miss you so much. But, somehow, I got a feeling that you and Cozy Powell are already rocking heaven!
In a world of false Hero’s we have lost one the few true ones’ Thanks for the music ronnie, you will missed the world over, RIP
R.I.P Ronnie. Life is too short. I was only just thinking I should get off my arse and see Heaven & Hell the other day. I haven’t see Ronnie since 1987 at Donington. Long live Rock & Roll.
R.I.P Ronnie James Dio. Metal`s mightiest voice! I`ve been a fan since my childhood and I spent many hours in my room studying your lyrics and album covers. Now you`re gone but not forgotten. Your music lives on. Long live rock `n`roll!
A true legend. Will be greatly missed. Long live rock n roll!
One of the greatest frontmen ever and a real gentleman! I met him after shows at the NEC and later at Nottingham Royal Centre in 1987 when I was starting my concert photography. He had all the time in the world to sit and gossip and it was he that gave me my first ever photo pass! A little man with a big voice and a big heart!
bless you Ronnie
There will never be another Ronnie James Dio in my lifetime Thank you Ronnie for some great nights out I’ve had with your live preformances all over the world Your music means everything to me and thank you for the pleasure and happiness you’ve given me in my life I cannot believe I will not see you again but something that will remain with me are the memories I have of your live performances truly outstanding RIP my friend and god bless you for puting happiness into my life
im sure i speak for everyone in saying a true legend and gentaleman has left us god bless you ronnie one of rocks true giants your in good company with bon lynnot hendrix ect.your music will live forever long may you reign on your silver mountain love and respect r.ip.
I don’t know how to do it but it would be a great tribute if we could get Stargazer to number one – surely this was his finest moment?
One of the best rock singers of all time. Will be sadly missed. He has left us with so many great songs that his voice will live on forever. Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Very sad to hear of Ronnie’s passing. Rainbow’s Rising and Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll were among my earliest favourites as I discovered my taste for hard rock and metal, and when Heaven And Hell came out, it seemed to reside on my old turntable for months. I was lucky enough to see Ronnie on stage several times with Black Sabbath/Heaven & Hell and with his own band Dio, and was never disappointed.
Few people can have been part of three absolutely classic albums with three different bands, but with Rising, Heaven And Hell and Holy Diver, Ronnie most certainly was, and the excellence of his final work with Heaven & Hell, The Devil You Know, was testament to his enduring creativity and the strength of that voice.
He will be greatly missed.
Still i’m sad……….R.I.P you leader of rock you.
Met Ronnie a few times over the years funniest time was at Southsea in 02 on Killing The Dragon tour.I had an after show pass but saw Ronnie stood watching the support band Oliver-Dawsons Saxon.Was making my way to approach him when a venue security guy over six foot tried to prevent me little Ronnie Five foot 4 inches saw this happen and started yelling at him saying this is my show.After that Ronnie and I walked to a room where he signed my cd sleeves and the features in the Kerrang Year book from 87.
Spending day listening to his legacy .
First album I had was Rising. Still a favourite. RIP, big wee man
Dio was an amazing talent he was a part of some of the greatest Rock albums ever produced Rising, Holy Diver and Heaven and Hell.
I saw him live on 4 occasions with Rainbow 1977 Sabbath in the 80,s and Dio in the 80’s at Donnington
Finnally H&H in this decade.
Live his vocals were right up there with the best at times the best rock vocal I,ve heared live or on album.
I going to listen to my all time fave tonight in memory of a great singer,Catch the Rainbow from live on Stage, God bless you RJD and thank you so much for some great concert’s and fantastic music.
“The lover of lifes not a sinner
The ending is just a beginner
The closer you get to the meaning
The sooner you’ll know that you’re dreaming
So it’s on and on and on, oh it’s on and on and on
It goes on and on and on, heaven and hell”
RIP
we have lost one of the greatest voices rock has ever known, but we still have the music so lets celebrate with rainbow, sabbath, dio and heaven and hell and keep his memory alive always.
R.I.P RJD.
A sad day for Metal. RIP The Legend of Metal
I had a weird feeling last Sunday, spoke with my wife and said something just did not feel right, felt down but could not put my finger on it. Then on Monday I checked the ‘Classic Rock’ website after work only to find the great man had passed away. I was and continue to be shocked especially as his treatment had seemed to be having positive results. He had a great voice and stage presence and will be greatly missed. My heart goes out to Wendy and his family, RIP Ronnie you touched our lives and will live on with your fans and your music.
can’t believe it, was gonna see him for the first time at high voltage this summer, am gutted so sorry for this loss my heart to his wife and family rock in pease ronnie xxxxxx
A man small in stature, but very very big in talent… only Ronnie could take on Sabbath after Ozzy and make ‘em stronger than before. His legacy will live forever as will his name R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio!
Another of my heroes gone… RIP legend. Your music will be with for eternity…
“Cause I’m the sun, I’m the sun
I can move, I can run
But you’ll never stop me burning”
Very sad news, remember getting Live Evil as 13year old and being unable to got to Donington83 as too young to travel (lol) and then getting ticket for Hammy Odeon on the Holy Diver tour. The night before I listened to the Donington set on Friday Rock Show and knew I was in for a treat. Saw Dio many times and always a passionate committed performed making everyone in the hall feel as if it were “their” show. Lapsed in recent years, still dipped in to the CDs and loved Master of the Moon in particular, and kicking myself for keeping saying “i’ll go and see him next time he tours” and not doing it . So sincere condolences to the wee man’s family and friends and nice to see Ozzy say some heartfelt words, let’s hope a certain Mr V Campbell does the same. Playing the awesome new remaster double disc of Mob Rules, Rainbow German Tour76 and my scuzzy old cassette of Donington 83 , and very warm memories of a wee man with a big voice – wish I’d met him, as I know it wouldn’t have disappointed. Salut, RJD
simply the best ronnie has always been my favorite and always will be the man made sabbath mob rules and heaven and hell are the best in rock albums of all time sadly missed
the mob will always rule heaven and hell
God bless you Ronnie, thank you for the memories and the great music.A true legend will be sadly missed but not forgotten.Long live rock n roll.Rest in piece RJD we salute you.
So the journey is over dear Ronnie.Now another one starts! You have awoken on the other side of bright morning.Thankyou for the life you lived and the love,inspiration and music you spread around the world.1980 Brighton, The last few bars of “Lonely Is The Word”thankyou for that memory it will stay with me for ever.You were a bright star and the world is a darker place for your leaving.Going home at last.Blessed Be.
Our loss is Heavens gain.
Goodnight and God bless you Ronnie
God bless you Ronnie,thank you for the great memories and great music.A true legend sadly missed but not forgotten.Long live rock n roll,rest in piece RJD we salute you.
I can not believe that the great Ronnie James Dio has passed away. There will be a lot of rocking up in heaven right now and a lot of tears on earth. You were all that is great about Rock. God bless you.
R.I.P
such a sad loss ronni was my hero got me into joining my first local band long live dio r.i.p
My sympathy to your family and friends. Loved your music from all the bands you were with. Glad my son was able to see you with Heaven and Hell. His first big concert. We will never forget. R.I.P.
Was ready to drive out of our depot today when a pal told me about Ronnie! What a shock I got!!! Felt numb all day and kept thinking about all the great Dio & H&H gigs I had enjoyed over the years. I will be taking several cd`s with me in the cab tomorrow and cranking it up nice and loud…. Thank you to all of the above tributes! Me & thousands of RJD fans all feel the same!!! A true Rock Legend…..RIP Ronnie……
Saddened to hear of Ronnie’s passing. Such a powerful voice. Sonisphere in the pouring rain is still fresh in my mind. R.I.P Ronnie.
WHAT A SAD DAY!!! WE NEVER GOT TO SEE YOU RONNIE BUT YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED ALWAYS!!! ALL OUR LOVE TO THE FAMILY OF THE GREAT RONNIE JAMES DIO AND MAY YOU TAKE COMFORT FROM KNOWING HIS LEGACY WILL LIVE ON FOREVER!!!! LOVE FROM SHAUN AN LISE XX
Ronnie you will live forever in your music! From an eleven year old to a forty year old you have given me and many others great enjoyment through your singing and what a voice,the best.Sorry not to see you again in the summer,memories will live on.Gone but not forgotten.”LONG LIVE ROCK N ROLL”
I count myself very luck to have seen Ronnie with H&H in Glasgow 2007. It was an amazing gig and have been a fan of RJD’s work for many years. He was the voice of metal, and now he is gone a huge void is now apparent and will never be replaced. My sincere sympathies to Wendy and all those close to him.
RIP Ronnie James Dio
The first time I played Man on the Silver Mountain, I was in awe!. I am now in shock. RJD was a true rocker.Awesome front man. His music will live on, his spirit will sore. The man will be missed
Ben in Canada
I’m choked.
The world seems a darker, lonelier place since Sunday. Ronnie’s music has got me through bad times and made good times feel even better.
Condolences to all his family and friends from a kid who listened to Rainbow on a tinny-sounding transistor radio in his bedroom back in the 70’s
RIP
1.Donington 83
2.Southampton 83
3.Portsmouth 84
4.Amsterdam 84
5.Birmingham 86
6.Donington 87
7.Portsmouth 87
8.Southsea 02
9.Folkestone 04
10.Glasgow 05
11.Southampton 05
12.Sheffield 07
RIP DIO
your music will never die
long live rock n roll long live DIO \m/
Sorry to here the news, the music world has lost one of it’s greats he will be missed.
It was on hearing the track “Long Live Rock n Roll” back in 1978 when I was 14 years old that was the catalyst for the life long love of heavy rock/metal. On the parade ground as an army cadet, someone’s window nearby was open and all that could be heard was the Ronster belting out “Long Live R n R”!!! Brilliant. It is still a vivid, life long memory that influenced me to this day. At the time of hearing it, I did not know the artist name/band, but soon found out! Dio and Rainbow.
In my opinion, the period 1975 – 1985 and the three bands that he was in, was the pinnacle of his contribution to the heavy rock cult. I saw him live in Sabbath, H & H and Dio about 5-6 times over the years.
About a month ago I played the Sabbath CD Heaven and Hell 2 times consecutively, having not listened to it for a while. Every song is a masterpiece. This cd, and Ronnie’s contribution to it, is one of few studio recordings that is truly worthy of 11/10 (sorry!) on the appreciation scale, it just so good.
What can you say about Ronnie Dio that hasnt been said already.
The man was a legend, a rock god, the voice of metal, a man without whom rock and roll and heavy metal would probably not be as we know it now.
We all thought he was going to pull through, after all this was the Man on the Silver Mountain, second only to Lemmy in his ‘be around forever’ status. But alas not this time, the great gig on the other side finally has its singer.
I will always remember the shere pride and joy he showed when he unleased the Holy Diver album to us at Donington in 83. Here was a singer that believed in what he did and what that did to his fans. We loved him without question, even if he did introduce us to Denzil the dragon!
Ronne James Dio, you were one in a million.
RIP
x
What a sad day , not just for Metal – but music . His undoubted vocal ability & stagecraft places him will all the greats of any Rock & Roll hall of fame . Ronnie James Dio has left his mark with his music , his spirit within that music will live on forever .Thank you for all the wonderful music that you gifted to the world . God bless and goodbye Ronnie .
Rest in Peace my friend
What can you say about Ronnie Dio that hasn’t been said already.
The man was a legend, a rock god, the voice of metal, a man without whom rock and roll and heavy metal would probably not be as we know it now.
We all thought he was going to pull through, after all this was the Man on the Silver Mountain, second only to Lemmy in his ‘be around forever’ status. But alas not this time, the great gig on the other side finally has its singer.
I will always remember the sheer pride and joy he showed when he unleashed the Holy Diver album to us at Donington in 83. Here was a singer that believed in what he did and what that did to his fans. We loved him without question, even if he did introduce us to Denzil the dragon!
Ronne James Dio, you were one in a million.
RIP
Simon
In a music world dominated by one hit wonders, manufactured pop and style rather than talent – Dio was a giant of the metal scene and a perfect example of why our music endures. I encountered him for the first time when hearing ‘Last In Line’ on the Friday Rock show and was huge fan from then on. I got into his other work and to this day Black Sabbath’s Heaven & Hell is an album I listen to at least once a month and will never tire of.
God bless you my friend as you depart the stage.
It doesn’t really end as long as we ’sail on, sing your song, carry on…’
I saw Dio a myriad of times between 1981 to 2009. In fact, I was blessed to have witnessed his swan song performance ever in Atlantic City, NJ on Aug 31, 2009. I knew from experience with having known individuals with stomic cancer that the survival rate was nill, as soon as I had heard Dio aquired cancer in his stomic, as sad as it is to say, I knew that he was doomed. As we age our rock/metal icons age, and as in this case, pass on. It is all apart of this thign that we share, life and death. I hope he is with his loved ones that have gone on before him, in eternal peace. Thank you from my heart for years of high quality entertainment, you will never be forgotten, at rest. John
catch the rainbow ronnie ,thanks great music and gigs rip ronnie dio you will be missed
So so sad to hear about Ronnie J.D. One of the very best in more ways than one. He was unique and will be missed terribly. Thought’s go out to his loved ones. Sleep peacefullyXX
my deepest sympathy to his family and friends i know what they are going through as i lost my dad to the same cancer last year it breaks your heart it has shocked me to hear the greatest rock icon has gone we love you man
Ronnie,
You were the reason my wife turned to metal – we saw you live with Sabbath, I thank you for converting her to a metal fan. We often visit your hometown, we will continue to do so but with broken hearts. Damn this is f”n hard – you have given us so much. Ronnie we miss you and we will meet again, until then RIP
Thank you for all you have given us
Marc
A very sadness loss to rock music world, but his great and unique voice will live forever with us: Long Live Rock’n'roll, Long Live Dio….Thanks for your music, and all of those great moments over the years. RIP.
only just found out, this man took me on a musical journey from butterfly ball to bible black.
one of the top 4 rock voices
RIP
The man was a pure genius. He will be missed. He now joins the other greats on that “silver mountain”
Journeying back a few decades when I were a young lad in school, my older brother had left home to join the RAF. Once he had finished his training he used to come home on weekends. One of the first things I noticed on his return, was that he had stopped listening to the old Glenn Miller recordings he would play over and over again and would now be listening to a completely different type of music that I found very interesting – in fact, I thought it sounded amazing.
One of the albums he was listening to, had a brown cover which resembled old parchment with a sketched drawing of some very hairy moody looking blokes, another of the albums had a black cover that featured a picture of a fist clutching a rainbow bursting out of a turbulent and stormy sea. Atop of both of the album covers in extremely bold calligraphy was the name Rainbow.
I was instantly drawn to the incredible musicianship on these albums, but what really stood out more than anything else, was the impeccable voice, tone, phrasing and lyrics being produced by the singer – his name was written on the back of the album covers, but who he was back then, really didn’t mean that much to me.
Some time later, the band Rainbow released another album – unsurprisingly, the album cover again featured a picture of a rainbow, this time as if being pictured from space shooting out from the planet earth. The music was good, but the voice, even though it was good, was not the same as I heard on the other albums. I remember feeling a little disappointed, and wondered what had became of the old singer!
Back then, we didn’t have internet, and the radio / tv was pretty much the same as it is now, churning out the usual commercial pap, so unless you mixed in the correct circles, you pretty much had no chance of knowing from a musical perspective who was who, and who was doing what.
Eventually, via a late night radio show called the Friday Rock show, courtesy of the now late, great Tommy Vance, I would hear the amazing voice / lyrics of that singer again. It turns out that the band Black Sabbath, who churned out some really good material, had ditched Ozzy Osbourne and now employed the ex vocalist from Rainbow. The music featured was from an album called Heaven and Hell, and I have to say, the old Sabbs had been transformed. The songs were fantastic, and the guitarist – none other than Tony Iommi was playing out of his skin!
I played the above albums over and over, and then came the latest Sabbs album Mob Rules. This for me was up to now the album that contained the best vocal performance that I have ever heard, and it is this album, more than any other, that inspired me to pick up a microphone and be involved in the creation of music.
Sadly, not long after, it appeared that the former Rainbow and now Sabbs singer had disappeared yet again.
Then along came an album called Holy Diver, by a band called DIO. The band name obviously referred to the singer, who had appeared in the albums above that I loved to listen to so much, and bloody hell, was it one hell of an album – it was produced by, and featured none other than Ronnie James Dio himself!
What followed after this, apart from his long and varied solo career, whereby he would not shy away from collaborating with new and upcoming musicians (which in my view, beats hands down the path of forming pointless and boring supergroups – which if he had lacked professional integrity he could have done), was his setting up of the Hear n Aid charity.
Additionally, he teamed up with the Sabbs again to produce some excellent material on the Dehumanizer album and later go out on tour under the name of Heaven and Hell – which is eventually when I got to see him perform live.
There is, in my view, no other vocalist in any genre who could surpass the abilities of Ronnie James Dio, and their is not a single vocalist who exists in the rock / metal genre who would admit to not have been influenced by, or who aspire to be as good as Ronnie James Dio!
Now comes a brief story of (but not for the first time) incident of coincidence. I was driving to work on Sunday night, and RJD and his fight with cancer was very much on my mind. I was thinking of writing a song in tribute. It turns out that on that very day, that dragon had consumed his earthly presence.
I, like him, don’t consider myself to be religious in the conventional sense, but I am a firm believer in life after death. With that in mind, and in my own way I know, that when he passes over to the other side, there will be one hell of an audience awaiting his arrival.
So, to close this, I say RIP RJD – RIP meaning Rock In Peace…
The music world won’t be the same without you Ronnie. You will definately be missed. RIP You’ll always be my Rainbow In The Dark !!!!!
R.I.P Ronnie……….The Great hall of Valhalla salutes you as we left behind mourn you……..we will never forget you or your music……….See you in the next life my friend.
I´m so sad….growing up for me meant listening to Rainbow and Sabbath, Rising and Heaven and Hell being being my favourite albums to this day. He was part of my musical world for more than 30 years, I´m glad to have seen him live so many times and I will miss him dearly. R.I.P.,Ronnie, you´ll live on in the hearts of millions out there…
I´m so sad….growing up for me meant listening to Rainbow and Sabbath, Rising and Heaven and Hell being my favourite albums to this day. He was part of my musical world for more than 30 years, I´m glad to have seen him live so many times and I will miss him dearly. R.I.P.,Ronnie, you´ll live on in the hearts of millions out there…
Like millions of other fans, I am saddened and shocked by the passing of Ronnie James Dio. My heartfelt condolenses go out to his family and close friends. Rock music has lost a true icon, one of the all time great performers in the history of Classic Rock music. He was without doubt the best SINGER that Heavy-Metal has ever produced.
RIP Ronnie, we all miss you
Hi i am just another fan i guess?? of the millions out there who have felt a great sadness upon hearing the death of the great Mr Dio himself. When i heard the news i was litterally left speechless. I dont need to give any tribute to this now true legend, Dio’s music will esurehe lives on long after you i or any fucker else for that matter. Just wanna say god bless you man hey i hae many years left in the tank yet but i hope your gonna be on the great stage inthe sky when i finnaly get up there.
God bless Ronnie James Dio.
Fuck me what a loss with the passing of the great mister DIO!! I wont give a tribute as th greatness of Dio needs no tribute, at 30 years old i have got manys years left in me yet but i just hope that when my time comes the great Mr Dio is playing on the great stage in the sky, let me tell you i will be at the front of that concert.
God bless you Mr Dio
P.S the suposed bible bashers wanting to crash the funeral need there heads sorting out.
Rock n Fucking roll!!!
Paris 1975..ELF opening for Purple…things will never be the same for me after this show.. can remember you singing “very very happy for you ..”
..”Love is all you need”. I.hope you can feel how much love you get from us on these sad days..
RIP Ronnie
I am overwhelmed at the lost of this great man. I can remember where I was the first time I heard the Heaven and Hell album. Dio was unlike any other singer/writer. Huge loss. Gonna miss him everyday.
so true all these words rest in rock history ronnie james fckinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnDIO
Let us all get closer together and be strong for DIO.
THIS WILL SHAKE THE METAL WORLD.
Lets all pick up our guitars and play. DIO would want that.
Don’t ever stop, DIO didn’t. He lives through each and every one of us.
Rock on,
Jeff Mayton
Guitarist FLA jmayton23@yahoo.com
PS . ” METAL WILL NEVER DIE”.
The title of your post – Classic Rock » Blog Archive » Ronnie James Dio, RIP – caught my eye, so I came by to have a look. Glad I did. FYI – I also shared this page – http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/ronnie-james-dio-rip/ – on my Facebook page so other people can find it too.
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