Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona, July 10, year unknown, however the year 1942 seems realistic as he reportedly graduated from Cortland High in 1960). Although Ronnie said in a 1997 interview that he was born in 1949 and said the confusion came because he started music so young. In an other interview with Ronnie from February 2005 Ronnie said that he is a little older than Ritchie Blackmore who is born in 1945. However Graham Bonnet who was born in 1947 said in an interview in 2002 that he's older than Ronnie. Other sources say 1948, 1944, 1940, 1939 and as early as 1937. Ronnie was born in Portsmouth, NH in a family of Italian immigrants. The family moved to Cortland, NY early on in Ronnies life. Dio is a Heavy Metal vocalist who has performed with Black Sabbath, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, and his own band Dio. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser Hear 'n Aid and his band immediately before Rainbow, Elf. Ronnie James Dio is renowned for his consistently powerful voice and for popularizing the 'horns' hand gesture in heavy metal culture (formed by closing the thumb over the middle and ring fingers, while having the index and little-finger extended). Ronnie said that his grandmother used to make the hand gesture to ward off the evil eye.

He initially played trumpet and even recorded several singles with various Rockabilly bands during his youth, the first one as early as 1958. In the early 1970s, he formed the band Elf, who went on to be an opening act for Deep Purple. Ronnie's vocals caught the ear of Deep Purple guitar virtuoso Ritchie Blackmore and when Blackmore left the band, he recruited Ronnie and other members of Elf to form Rainbow. After a few albums with Rainbow, Ronnie left the band due to creative differences (Blackmore had wanted to take the band in a more commercial direction), and was recruited by Black Sabbath in 1979 to replace Ozzy Osbourne. Ronnie gave a new jumpstart to Black Sabbath's sagging career, but already in 1982 internal conflicts and unfounded rumors regarding the mixing of the album Live Evil led both Ronnie and drummer Vinnie Appice to leave Black Sabbath and form Dio. Ronnie James Dio currently lives in California and still records and tours worldwide with Dio.

Career Highlights

Ronnie James Dio was destined for greatness. From his days in Elf to Rainbow to Black Sabbath, things just seamed to work out for Dio.

His biggest break came when he formed his own band under his own name. His first recording, Holy Diver, put him in the mainstream of the rock and metal scene. Teaming up with Vivian Campbell, who went on to join Def Leppard, was exactly the right combination for the album. Dio's voice and Viv's guitar sound just gelled into a sound that no force could think to stop.

Vivain Campbell stayed with Dio for the next two albums, The Last In Line and Sacred Heart. It was unfortunate that he did. Many fans and critics felt that with out Vivian's guitar sound that Dio's music never sounded that same after that point. The guitarists that came after could never, or more to the point, didn't try to find the style over flashy substance.

None of this discouraged Ronnie. His next studio album, Dream Evil, may not have been the masterpiece people would have like it to be but it had strong music to make it a good album.

In the years following the albums were spaced out over several years. After a change of record companies, Dio has recently resurged as a viable artist. The concept album, Magica, kicked it off for the legend to resurface. His latest, Killing The Dragon, is keeping his name and voice in mainstream metal where he belongs.

His official website is here.

[Sources: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, About.com. Additional biographical info]