The grand wizard of classic rock. A poet of hope for the heavy metal masses. Possibly the single most important vocalist in the history of heavy metal. Easily the most talented one. The man whose trademark tales of dungeons and dragons and wizards, of sorcery, war and heroic glory and the underlying good versus evil theme may have single-handedly inspired every major heavy metal act. All these accolades and many more that don't come to mind have been readily garlanded upon Ronnie James Dio.
The world of heavy metal is divided into two parts, the first being the part that respects and reveres and looks for inspiration from the man that is Ronnie James Dio, and the second one, which in turn respects and reveres the first.
This is the man famed for popularizing the mano cornuta or the corna, known commonly as the Devil's Horns, the gesture which to this day is used by the hordes of metalheads who throng concerts.
How many musicians, irrespective of genre can brag about recording and touring consistently in six different decades?
How many people can get over 40 artists of arguably the biggest heavy metal bands of the time (the eighties) to collaborate (This project titled Hear 'N Aid raised a cool USD one million to fight starvation in Africa).
Dio has played in over eleven bands, notably the iconic Black Sabbath, and the equally popular Rainbow. He has also lent his vocal talents to at least a dozen (Queensrÿche, Deep Purple and Rough Cutt are a few that spring to mind) other bands in the industry. During his Rainbow days he along with Blackmore (of Deep Purple fame) pioneered classic metal with albums like Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow and Rising.
In his time in there, he helped Sabbath break out of their creative slump and was instrumental in formation of two of Black Sabbath's massive monoliths, Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules. Just another feather in his cap.
His first solo offering, one of metal's all time classics, Holy Diver was a brilliant amalgamation of Ronnie's immense vocal prowess and brilliant lyrical and compositional skills that married heaviness and melody in a never before heard of way. This paved the way for him to become of the biggest live acts of the eighties.Currently playing with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice as Black Sabbath reformed, under the moniker of Heaven and Hell, a reference to Sabbath's biggest album in the Dio years, he proves he's not one to let age get in his way, especially after being diagnosed with stomach cancer.
All this together makes sure one cannot deny that Dio has had an immeasurable effect and incredible influence on heavy metal.
Hopefully the legend kills his dragons and gets back to enthralling metalheads worldwide.
So, all hail Dio. Heavy Metal's True Godfather. Period. \m/
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