| Ronnie James Dio |
|
| Background information |
| Birth name |
Ronald James Padavona |
| Born |
July 10, 1942 (1942-07-10) (age 66)
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA |
| Genre(s) |
Heavy metal, hard rock |
| Occupation(s) |
Musician, singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) |
Vocals, bass, keyboards, Trumpet |
| Years active |
1957 - present |
| Associated acts |
Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio, Heaven and Hell |
| Website |
Official website |
Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA), is an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter who has performed with Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and his own band Dio. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser Hear 'n Aid. He is widely hailed as one of the most powerful singers in heavy metal,[1] renowned for his consistently powerful voice and for popularizing the "devil's horns" hand gesture in metal culture. He is currently collaborating on a project with former Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice, which is going under the name Heaven and Hell.
Early years
Ronnie James Dio was born Ronald James Padavona, an only child to an Italian family.They lived in Portsmouth, New Hampshire until the family moved to Cortland, New York early in his life. His parents raised him in the Roman Catholic church, an experience he ultimately found unsatisfactory. Dio shared some of his feelings for Catholicism in an interview with HM Magazine[2]
In 1960 Dio graduated from the Cortland City School and was inducted to the Cortland City School Hall of Fame in 2004.[1] He was also honored on November 15, 1988 by Dio's hometown of Cortland, New York naming a street after him - Dio Way, located between Central Avenue and East Court Street.
He initially played the trumpet and even recorded several singles with various rockabilly bands when he was a kid. When he was in high school, he joined a band called The Vegas Kings, in which he played the bass guitar. He eventually became the lead singer of this band, which changed its name to Ronnie & The Rumblers and finally to Ronnie And The Red Caps. Their first 7-inch single was released in 1958.
Ronnie took up the name "Dio" after mafia member Johnny Dio,[3] and first used it professionally in the early 1960s, playing in a band called Ronnie Dio and the Prophets. This was essentially the same band as Ronnie And The Red Caps, but with a different name. Dio is the Italian word for God.
During the Heaven and Hell Performance at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center in Darien, NY (near Buffalo, NY) on September 19, 2007, Ronnie revealed that he had attended the University at Buffalo, majoring in pharmacy.[2]. He formed one of his early bands during his freshman year.[3] University at Buffalo officials confirmed that he did attend from 1960-61 but did not graduate.
He was also offered a scholarship to the prestigious Juilliard School of Music but did not pursue it due to his interest in rock music.[4]
Career
Dio's musical career began in 1957 when several Cortland, New York musicians formed the band The Vegas Kings, which soon changed their name to Ronnie and the Rumblers. This band's lineup had Padavona on the bass guitar, along with singer Billy de Wolf, guitarist Nick Pantas, drummer Tom Rogers, and saxophone player Jack Musci.
In 1958 the band again changed their name, along with a few changes of personnel. The band was now known as Ronnie and the Redcaps. At this point, Padavona began singing, replacing de Wolf. Musci also left the band, and a new guitarist, Dick Botoff, joined. The Redcaps lineup released two singles: "Lover" b/w "Conquest" (with De Wolf on vocals on the A-side) on the Reb label, and on Seneca (S 178-102, USA), 'An Angel Is Missing' with 'What'd I Say' on the B side (both songs featuring Padavona on vocals).
In 1961 they changed their name to Ronnie Dio and The Prophets. (Presumably, this is also the first time Padavona began using the pseudonym "Dio"). The Prophets lineup lasted for quite a long time and produced several singles and one album. Some sources state that some of the single releases were made by Ronnie James Dio solo, but others, such as Dio himself, state that all of the singles were made as a band. Ronnie Dio and the Prophets disbanded in 1967, but he and Prophets guitarist Nick Pantas started a new band called the Electric Elves. They shortened their name to Elf in 1969, and went on to become an opening act for Deep Purple. Dio's vocals caught the ear of Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, and when Blackmore left the band, he recruited Dio and other members of Elf to form Rainbow. Rainbow released its first album in 1975. Dio recorded three more albums with Rainbow, but he left the band due to creative differences: Blackmore had wanted to take the band in a more commercial direction.
Dio performed vocals on the 1974 UK single 'Love is All' taken from Roger Glover's concept album 'The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper Feast'. Dio also provided vocals for the songs 'Homeward' and 'Sitting in a dream' on the album which also featured Deep Purple alumni Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale.
Black Sabbath and Dio
After leaving Rainbow, Dio joined Black Sabbath in 1979, replacing Ozzy Osbourne. They released the successful Heaven and Hell album, which revitalized the band's career. It was during his time with Black Sabbath that he popularized the "devil's horns" gesture. Dio says that his grandmother used to make the hand gesture to ward off the evil eye, which is very common among superstitious Southern Italians. The "horns," or "Corna," themselves are used both to scare away and give someone the "Malocchio" (the Evil Eye). In 1982, the mixing of the live album Live Evil led to Dio and drummer Vinny Appice quitting the band to form Dio.
Despite being known for his powerful singing voice, Dio claims never to have taken any vocal training.[2] He attributes his singing ability to the correct breathing techniques he learned when playing the French horn as a child.
In 1997, Dio made a cameo on Pat Boone's "In a Metal Mood", an album of famous heavy metal songs played in Big Band style. Dio can be heard singing backup on Boone's take of the Dio song, "Holy Diver."
In 2000, Century Media released Holy Dio: Tribute to Ronnie James Dio, an album featuring a number of covers by mainly power metal bands.
Tenacious D has written a tribute song entitled Dio that appears on their untitled album that calls for the singer to 'Pass the torch' on to them. Reportedly, Dio approved of it, and had Tenacious D appear in his video "Push". He has also appeared in the film Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny, playing himself, but on VH1, some have interpreted small clips of an interview with him as expressing resentment at the idea that he needs to "pass the torch" and seemed uncertain that Tenacious D is worthy of such an honor. When viewed in full, this interview is clearly done in good humor.
In 2005, Dio was revealed to be the voice behind Dr. X in Operation: Mindcrime II, the sequel to Queensr˙che's seminal concept album Operation: Mindcrime. His part was shown in a prerecorded video on the subsequent tour, and Ronnie appeared onstage to sing the part live on at least one occasion (both shown on the Mindcrime at the Moore DVD).
In October 2006 it was confirmed that Dio would be joining Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and former Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice to tour under the name 'Heaven and Hell', which was the title of the first Dio era Black Sabbath record. They chose the name "Heaven and Hell" as Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler are still in the Black Sabbath band with Ozzy Osbourne and felt it was best to use a different moniker for the Dio version of the band. Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward was to be involved in this project, but he later withdrew. In 2008 the band completed a 98-date world tour.
On January 17, 2007, he was inducted into the Rock Walk of Fame at Guitar Center on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard.
In a 2008 Metal Hammer interview, Dio confirmed that he is currently writing his autobiography. He is writing it with a pencil and paper, the same way he writes all his lyrics; he dislikes computers and does not own one.
Although Dio is considered the creator of the "devil's horns" as a heavy metal symbol, some argue that it originated from Kiss' Love Gun album cover from 1977, which shows Gene Simmons doing the sign. However, Simmons extends his thumb which, when combined with the corna, is sign language for "I love you."[4]
Family
Dio married his first wife, Loretta Berardi (born 1941), sometime in the 1960s. They adopted one son, Dan Padavona (born July 1968), who works as a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Binghamton, New York.[5]
After divorcing Berardi, he married Wendy Galaxiola (born 1947), who also serves as his manager. In the 1980s she managed the Los Angeles rock bands Rough Cutt and Hellion. She is the chair of the privately sponsored organization, Children of the Night, dedicated to rescuing America's children from prostitution.
Dio currently has two grandchildren, Joey and Julia.
He resides in Los Angeles.
Television
As a character, Ronnie James Dio appeared in the third season episode of South Park titled "Hooked on Monkey Phonics", playing "Holy Diver" at the school dance. Ronnie James Dio himself did not provide the character's speaking voice.
Dio Brando, the primary antagonist of the manga series Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, is named after Ronnie James Dio. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is known for its multitude of music references.
Ronnie James Dio also appeared in Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny playing himself. He plays a small role at the beginning of the movie, where Lil' JB, played by Troy Gentile, is angry because his father, played by Meat Loaf, won't let him play rock because he thinks it's the devil's music. Lil' JB then prays to a poster of Dio to help him out. Dio comes to life and urges him in song to "leave his oppressive neighborhood" and head to Hollywood.
Additionally, Dio will voice a currently undefined character in the upcoming, heavy metal-influenced action adventure video game Brütal Legend.
In The Venture Bros episode "The Family That Slays Together, Stays Together, Pt I" it is revealed that the character Shore Leave had changed his handle to Holy Diver, a reference to the Ronnie James Dio song of the same name, following his conversion to Christianity.
Band timeline
Band Members
The Vegas Kings
(1957-1958)
Ronnie and the Rumblers
(1958) |
|
Ronnie and the Redcaps
(1958-1961) |
|
Ronnie Dio and the Prophets
(1961-1967) |
|
Discography
Some of Dio's early appearances on 45 rpm singles are collected on several volumes of the LP series "The History of Syracuse Music," released in the 1980s. A complete discography with lyrics can be found here.
Ronnie and the Red Caps
- Conquest b/w Lover
- An Angel Is Missing b/w What'd I Say
Ronnie Dio and the Prophets
Singles
- The Ooh-Poo-Pah-Doo b/w Love Pains
- Gonna Make It Alone b/w Swingin Street
- Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow b/w Bad Man In Town
- Mr. Misery b/w Our Year
- Love Potion No. 9 b/w Love Potion No. 9
- Say You're Mine Again b/w Where You Gonna Run To Girl
- Smiling By Day (Crying By Night) b/w Dear Darling (I Won't Be Comin' Home)
- Walking Alone b/w The Way Of Love
- Walking In Different Circles b/w 10 Days With Brenda
Albums
The Elves
- Live at the Beacon (Bootleg Recording) (1971)
Elf
Rainbow
Black Sabbath
Dio
For more details, see Dio discography
Guest appearances
Heaven and Hell
Other Media
Goldfinger's cover of "Rio" replaces "Her name is Rio" with "His name is Dio, Ronnie James Dio" at the end of the song.
References
External links
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