May 16th, 2010
06:56 PM ET

Metal rocker Ronnie James Dio has died, wife says

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.

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soundoff (788 Responses)
  1. NolaNightmare

    RIP
    \m/

    May 16, 2010 at 11:07 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Dude666

    And yes, Dio was awesome. I met him once and he was the nicest guy you would ever want to meet.

    May 16, 2010 at 11:07 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Bushpig

    Bert, you're a turd. It's called theatrics. Ever hear of it? Dio was raised Italian Catholic. You're such a hump.

    May 16, 2010 at 11:09 pm | Report abuse |
  4. David

    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

    May 16, 2010 at 11:10 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Lisa

    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~

    May 16, 2010 at 11:12 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Venom

    Between the velvet lies, there's a truth as hard as steel...RJD was that truth!

    May 16, 2010 at 11:13 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Jeff Shattuck

    Long Live Rock and Roll.

    May 16, 2010 at 11:14 pm | Report abuse |
  8. redpens

    The world has lost a true legend. R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio

    May 16, 2010 at 11:17 pm | Report abuse |
  9. not the ref

    we are the 'last in line' rip my brother

    May 16, 2010 at 11:24 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Brad

    Dio has rocked for a long, long time....but now it's time for him to pass the torch.

    May 16, 2010 at 11:26 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Nancy

    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

    May 16, 2010 at 11:28 pm | Report abuse |
  12. Rigs

    RIP RJD

    May 16, 2010 at 11:32 pm | Report abuse |
  13. FranciscoH

    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.

    May 16, 2010 at 11:32 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Rigs

    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

    May 16, 2010 at 11:34 pm | Report abuse |
  15. cmr

    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.

    May 16, 2010 at 11:38 pm | Report abuse |
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