Please take a moment and raise your metal horns in the air for Ronnie James Dio. He died on the morning of May 16 after a six-month battle with stomach cancer. Despite his diminutive stature, Dio had an enormous impact on metal around the world. He has been credited as not only one of the greatest vocalists in metal but also as one of the first purveyors of raising the devil horns. In interviews, he claimed he would see his Italian grandmother use that hand gesture, called the malocchio, to ward off evil spirits.
Dio’s incredible career began in the late 1950s, playing in local bands with his friends. By 1967, Dio and guitarist Nick Pantas formed the band Elf, which went on to open up for Deep Purple, a group that showcased guitarist Richie Blackmore. Dio’s voice had a huge impact on Blackmore; when Deep Purple broke up, Blackmore asked Dio and other members of Elf to form Rainbow. Their first album came out in 1975. Four years and three albums later, Dio left the group, citing creative differences with Blackmore about the direction of the band. In 1979, Ozzy Osbourne was kicked out of Black Sabbath. Dio filled the spot and released the Heaven and Hell album, which breathed life back into the band. He would return as vocalist for Black Sabbath in 1992, releasing Dehumanizer.
Even though he never intended to be a solo artist, from 1982 until his death, the majority of his music was made under his own moniker. From 2005 to 2010, he collaborated with Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler under the name Heaven and Hell and released the album The Devil You Know. But it’s his 1982 landmark solo album Holy Diver that truly put Dio on the map. From the opening riffs of the title song to the keyboard in “Rainbow in the Dark,” Dio’s unique range jumps out at you. He would go on to release five more albums, each proving his voice never faltered. So, raise your horns, children, to true metal god: Ronnie James Dio.
