Heavy metal rocker Ronnie James Dio died Sunday morning after a battle with stomach cancer, his wife announced.
"Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7:45 a.m. 16th May," Wendy Dio said in a message posted on his official website.
Dio, 67, followed Ozzy Osbourne as Black Sabbath's lead vocalist in 1979.
"Many, many friends and family were able to say their private good-byes before he peacefully passed away," she wrote. "Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all."
Born Ronald James Padavona in 1942, Dio's professional music career began as a high school student in the late 1950s.
His 1960s rock group The Electric Elves evolved into Elf by the early 1970s, when the group played heavy blues rock.
Dio's rock became darker with his band Rainbow, which he left in 1979 to join Black Sabbath.
Black Sabbath released three albums with Dio, including "Heaven and Hell" in 1980, "Mob Rules" in 1981 and "Live Evil" in 1982.
Dio left that band in 1982, but he had a brief reunion with the group a decade later. He formed the group Dio in 1982. The group continued to perform until his illness.
His last public appearance was in April at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards when he accepted a vocalist of the year award his work on last year's Heaven and Hell album. Dio appeared frail, but he was able to speak when accepting his award.
"The lover of lifes not a sinner
The ending is just a beginner"
Rest in peace Ronnie
Because of Dio, I got into metal. So glad I got to see him on the Heaven and Hell tour. Truly a sad day for my self personally. Hopefully he still does gigs when I cross to the other side!
RIP Dio
TODAY WE HAVE LOST ONE OF THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME. WHAT A SAD LOSS FOR HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND METALHEADS AROUND THE WORLD. ROCK ON RONNIE JAMES....... ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! R.I.P.
Ronnie set the bar for all musicians. He will always be one of my top idols. Our condolences go out to his wife Wendy, his family, and his loyal fans.
A sad day indeed, he was a legend. I owe all of my passion for music to he and his first album with Dio, Holy Diver. RIP my friend.
ronnie james was the showmen of all showmen, met him a couple of years back and he was a great human being, he will be missed but his music will live on, now you will forever be the man on the silver mountain, we will miss you!!
Uma grande perda para a musica e para o heavy metal, Rest in peace Dio.
legends live forever but dio he was not a legend but a god.
The next plane of existence is about to rock a hell of a lot harder -_- \nn/
his light will shine on... like a rainbow in the dark
He was...A rock god...
Nuff said. he will be missed
Rest in Peace
RIP Ronnie James Dio. You were a legend of metal.
HORNS ALL AROUND!!
\m/
A unique talent has been silenced today. RJD was a transformative influence in heavy metal, and the body of his work speaks eloquent volumes. Thank you, Ronnie, for sharing your gift with us.
this is a major tragedy and very tragicand sad in the metal music industry. rock n roll forever and in peace u are well loved and missed by all us fans family friends and your wife and children.
Rock on Brother