R
By Pagan Hel
onnie James Dio was born Ronald Sabbath departure and made headway with wonderful man blessed with heaps of talent!
James Padavona on July 10th 1942 - his ‘Dio’ project in 1982 (no doubting who The name Dio, means ‘God’ in Italian and
and died tragically of stomach cancer was in charge) and there on from 1991–1993. I personally feel this title is suited to a man
on May 16th, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. Dio was never a trained
with so much importance
Ronnie was an American/Italian Heavy Metal vocalist but attributed
in the Rock Music Industry!
vocalist and songwriter, who fronted Rain- his powerful voice to the
ONE OF THE FIRST He decided to change his
bow and Black Sabbath as well as fronting breathing discipline he
name back in 1961 going
his own band called simply Dio.
had acquired as a trum- METAL ARTISTS TO USE from the obscure name
Dio started his career back in 1958 and it pet player. Renamed RonTHE FAMOUS ‘HORNS’ of Padovana, which didn’t
spans over 40 glorious years. He was born in nie and the Red Caps, the
quite have the same apPortsmouth, New Hampshire and raised in group released a single
peal and took the name
Cortland, near Syracuse in New York. Dio gra- called ‘Lover’ in 1958. He listened to a great Dio from a gangster/Mafia member named
duated from Cortland High School in 1960. deal of opera while growing up, hence his Johnny Dio.
He went on to do Pharmacology but never powerful and versatile vocals which allowed Dio was one of the first metal artists to use
graduated after only studying for a year and him to sing all out rock anthems as well as the famous ‘horns’ hand gesture that is still
once again rubbed shoulders with music lighter ballads.
in use today by many rock and metal fans all
when he joined the University’s concert Dio and his first wife, Loretta Berardi adopted over the world. He said he learned it from his
band.
a son, novelist Dan Padavona. After divorcing Italian grandmother who apparently used it
Ronnie didn’t always do vocals either! –