Ronnie James Dio - A Tribute

Dio had one of the most incredible voices in rock 'n roll. He could hold a power note forever, just keep it rolling. I was always an admirer of his talent, and I had the good fortune to have met him a couple times. My brother Paul told me when I was in LA this past Christmas, that Ronnie was in the hospital with stomach cancer. That kind of cancer is overwhelmingly deadly.

Paul was his lighting and stage designer for the group "Dio", and for "Heaven and Hell". Dio's musical legacy is amazing. He was lead singer for Rainbow with guitarist extraordinaire Ritchie Blackmore, after Blackmore left Deep Purple. He replaced Ozzie Osborne as lead singer of Black Sabbath, which, I hear, outsold Black Sabbath with Ozzie. I'll skip looking up the numbers. The first album Dio sang on as a member of Black Sabbath was "Heaven and Hell". That later became the name of the group to separate the two Black Sabbaths.

It was with the self titled group "Dio" during the Eighties that a friendship formed between my brother and Ronnie that lasted since then, about 30 years. Paul got married in LA and Ronnie was best man. Paul and I met Ronnie at a bar before the wedding that was near the wedding site, had a couple beers then headed over. It was a funny wedding, in an outdoor garden in the middle of LA, with an ancient minister. Afterward we went to the apartment, and there was an unending supply of champagne. Ronnie started doing impersonations of Paul, and I was laughing so hard my gut and cheeks hurt. Ronnie was a funny funny man.

Paul hit a bad spot in his life, and at one time landed back in the US from Europe without money and no place to go. Ronnie and his wife Wendy flew Paul out to LA, gave him a place to stay, and helped him reestablish himself. Ronnie was a most generous, loving and helpful guy. We sometimes forget that superstars are just people too, with all the same experiences, triumphs and failures, loves and sufferings, that the rest of us have.

I met Ronnie a couple other times over the years, and he was always gracious, friendly and kind.

Sometime in the mid-Eighties, Dad came down to San Diego where I was living, and he went to the Dio concert. Dio is the one that made the 'devil horn' hand sign famous, and I remember Dad standing on the center riser where the light and sound boards were, making the 'devil horns' sign and, with the rest of the crowed, chanting, "Dio, Dio, Dio..." and just laughing. A great moment.
When our Dad died, Paul and I were in LA, and Dio's song "Last in Line" came on the radio. I was driving, and Paul and I just kinda looked at each other. We were. I was so overcome with emotion I almost had an accident.

Here's to Ronnie Dio. Amazing Man, Amazing Singer, Amazing Musical Legacy.