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.
RIP
\m/
And yes, Dio was awesome. I met him once and he was the nicest guy you would ever want to meet.
Bert, you're a turd. It's called theatrics. Ever hear of it? Dio was raised Italian Catholic. You're such a hump.
Glad I got to see Dio in concert twice once with his solo band with Iron Maiden and Motorhead and the second time with Heaven and Hell with Megadeth! RIP
A sad day in Rock and Roll history! I saw Dio in concert in Seattle in 1984! Awesome live performance! RIP Ronnie, your fans will always love you~
Between the velvet lies, there's a truth as hard as steel...RJD was that truth!
Long Live Rock and Roll.
The world has lost a true legend. R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio
we are the 'last in line' rip my brother
Dio has rocked for a long, long time....but now it's time for him to pass the torch.
An Icon, a legend, and to me- "The Master of Metal". One of the greatest voices ever, and stage performer's who never stopped rocking our world to the end. Anyone who met him or saw him live (especially in his 50's and 60's) will tell you, the man was amazing, extreamly talented and BORN TO ROCK AND ROLL! RIP RJD
RIP RJD
LONG LIVE ROCK AND ROLL AND RONNIE!!!!
WE ARE THE LAST IN LINE ONCE WE JOIN OUR GOD AS I HOPE RONNIE DOES. WE CAN LOVE GOD AND ROCK AND ROLL AT THE SAME TIME.
Holy Diver
You've been down too long in the midnight sea
Oh what's becoming of me
Ride the tiger
You can see his stripes but you know he's clean
Oh don't you see what I mean
Gotta get away
Holy Diver
Got!
Shiny diamonds
Like the eyes of a cat in the black and blue
Something is coming for you
Race for the morning
You can hide in the sun 'till you see the light
Oh we will pray it's all right
Sad news. However, he contributed much to rock and roll. Lets not forget, he gave us the horn sign for Rock and Roll. RIP Dio.