Damn are we getting into a swarm of celeb deaths? 

Today was the last of a great metal singer.   Rock on, where ever you are! 

This is really a sad day. I have a real bad story to tell about this loss. For me there are two completly different no 1 Singers : Freddie Mercury and Ronnie James Dio . It is allmost a trauma to me that I never made it to see Queen Live with Freddie.When Heaven and Hell came to Germany in 2008 , I bought tickets at  the very first day with words like "who knows?" . I don't wanted to happen ehis Freddie-thing again. And yes I saw Ronnie and it was great. that he has ever been so underrated in ihe mainstream press makes me so furios.One of the best singers around has passed away and MTV germany just cares for Lady Gaga's wardrobe.To everyone who wants to know more about the works of Ronnie before Rainbow click here: http://www.padavona.com/index.html .  Up the horns m/ .

 I only found out because someone mentioned it on their Facebook. I then looked at all the major Danish news sites to get it verified. Not a peep. Googled it and on the Wikipedia page I found the official links listed as sources.

Lady Gaggggggg >_<  Why doesn't that surprise me? :(

There's nothing like Dio, whether in Black Sabbath or Rainbow or his own DIO band. He had The Greatest Voice! Lucky you for actually seeing him Live!

He will be greatly missed! He was one of my favorite metal performers!

Damn it, i had the chance to see him live back in 2007, despite his age he still had one hell of a voice, RIP Dio, you will be missed =(

His last album, "The Devil You Know" recorded with ex-Sabbath, If you haven't heard it, you should!  His voice is aged, but still dignified, and the haunting first lyrics to "Bible Black":

"At last, alone, his fire's dying...burn another day..." sung softly over clean guitar...chills.

Dio started in the 'biz in 1958 or so, that's BEFORE the Beatles for you youngins, and he never stopped.  From Doo-Wop music through psychedelia Dio experienced it all before finding his perfect expression in Heavy Music.  If we only had "Rainbow" albums from Dio, his legacy would be just as large, but he then goes on to take over the Fathers of Metal, Black Sabbath, and with them create another facet of Metal.

Dio was 67 years old and still touring and still giving his all.

This hits me very close to home.

God, why couldn't you take Ozzy or Robert Plant???

:( Sad!

Wow, so sad...I saw Black Sabbath in concert back in 1980 when he was lead singer for the Heaven and Hell Tour, still have the album to....
In many ways he was a better lead then Ozzie was...

I remember him from Rainbow...67...dang, he was older than I thought. Shame about that.

Holy diver/and you've been down too long in the midnight sea
Oh, what's becoming of me

WHAT??????? WHAT????? NO FRICKIN WAY!!!   What a blow for me today.

I'm still getting over the loss of Type O Negative's Peter Steele.

I did play "Rainbow in the Dark" in tribute, last night...

Shining Examples of Dio's Awesomeness:

1.  Happy - Elf  This ironic little bluesey, honky-tonkish number shows the range of soul capability in RJD...my favorite Elf Tune

2.  The Gates of Babylon - Rainbow     Truly epic and otherworldly masterpiece rife with middle-eastern modes and soaring vocals.

3.  Die Young - Black Sabbath          Heavy, fast and furious, Dio's voice here sounds like a mighty wind that could probably blow you off your feet and into flight.  Iommi's riffing is outstanding as always.

4.  Heaven and Hell - Black Sabbath     Who could argue with this?  Epic...this one song redefined the boundaries of Heavy Metal and put Black Sabbath back on the Map.

5.  Don't talk to Strangers - Dio     Often overlooked, overshadowed track that really has a sublime darkness to it.

6.  The Last in Line - Dio   Everyone always wants to talk about Holy Diver, but this song is way superior.  We...are....coming........................HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!  This song just kicks ass start to finish.  See how we shine???????

7.    Dehumanizer - The whole Album - Black Sabbath     A reunion album, this whole album is great, start to finish.   It's like a whole album of 7's.  Nothing amazing except that the whole album is good.  Very specific overall mood and sound to this work.

8.  Feed My Head - Dio         Great Chorus

9.  Master of the Moon - The Whole Album - Dio        Dio had been falling into obscurity with albums that were...let's say less than perfect.  His last solo album fixes all that.  Master of the Moon is great from start to finish, maybe only one or two clunkers.  Great mood, Dio seems to be speaking to you more directly...less fantasy more real-world commentary.

10.  Heaven and Hell - The Devil You Know       Let's face it, this is Iommi, Butler and Dio which means Black Sabbath.  Nevermind all that, what's in a name?  This is a kickass record with only a miss or two out of all the tracks.  Bible Black is epic and a little haunting, considering the lyric "At last, alone, his fire's dying...burn another day..." is one of the last he got to record.  Dio is always better with Iommi  even in their 60's.

Dio was just the best, really can't believe he's gone when it seems he was just warming back up. 

Oh, that Dio. I was concentrating on "Ronnie James" so much I missed the Black Sabbath Dio. Fuck! Doubly!

There is only one Dio, and his name is Ronnie James!

Ronnie and the Redcaps (
Elf
Rainbow
Black Sabbath
Dio
Heaven and Hell

You might listen to the Eddie trunk's tribute shows . http://www.youtube.com/user/Rockfavs#g/u

Sad... and strangely spooky to me. Was only thinking about him last week when looking up what to play whilst at work. Was wondering how old he must be know and if he was even still around...

Great voice...

I was thinking of him recently, because when I opened the current ImagineFX, there is an advert for the summer gigs in there.
I did see him live, did see Queen live, too. (In fact I saw a great many bands live. I used to work in that industry.)
My favorite has to be "Shame on the Night" though.
I looooooooooooooove that intro.

He was a rock/metal hero to me and I was saddened to hear of his death. :(

Yea this really sucks.
I've been a fan of Dios for a long long time.

I was very lucky  to know his most recent bass player, Rudy Sarzo. He sent me an autographed copy of Dios last release...I think it was his last. DIO - Holy Diver Live.

So sad for sure.

:(
Clint

Ronnies great voice will be badly missed. I'd forgotten how old he was- same applys to most of my music heroes. Planet rock played a Dio song each hour on Monday, including my favourite  the live version ofCatch the Rainbow.

PS Planet rock streams over the internet for any rock fans

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/member.php