Ronnie James Dio

Ronnie James Dio

Birth name: Ronald James Padavona
DOB: 7/10/1942
Where: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA
Height: 5'4''

Trademark
-Long curly hair
-Created and popularized the so-called "Metal Horns" gesture as a symbol of heavy metal music

Spouse
-Wendy Dio: 1974-5/16/2010 (his death)

Trivia
-Was raised in a quiet Italian community, in Cortland, near Syracuse in New York State
-His name Padavona means "God" in Italian
-Says he got the inspiration for the "Metal Horns" from his Italian grandmother who used the gesture to ward off evil spirits
-Was a vocalist in the hard rock band Rainbow from 1975-1978; in Black Sabbath from 1980-1982 and from 1992-1993 and from 1993-his death

-Introduced the "Metal Horns" gesture by extending the index and pinky finger with the other fingers under the thumb. This began being used as the international symbol of heavy metal. This is used by the audience members to show their love and enthusiasm for the music
-In May 1979, he replaced Ozzy Osbourne as the singer for Black Sabbath. Unlike popular belief, the band did quite well without Ozzy and with Dio as the front man. The band ended up having a few good albums with Dio out front, including Dehumanizer, Mob Rules, Heaven and Hell, earning the band high sales since 1974
-Very big sports fan; loves the Yankees, the Mets, the New York Rangers, and the New York Giants
-Has one son, named Danny
-Got his name from gangster Johnny Dio
-Is of Italian descent
-The last album he recorded was Heaven & Hell's The Devil You Know
-In 2009, he received word he was sick
-On May 4, 2010, the world lost him in his fight with stomach cancer
-First Rainbow singer to die
-At his funeral, the Westboro Baptist Church in Los Angeles, where he lived, protested his funeral, calling him a Devil worshipper