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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDIO, Ronnie James(b Ronald Padavona, 10 July '49, Cortland, NY) US heavy rock vocalist. Studied classical trumpet as a child in Portsmouth NH; switched to electric bass, formed group Vegas Kings in school; changed name to Dio, group Ronnie and the Red Caps, later Ronnie Dio and the Prophets; cut seven singles '61--67. (This casts some doubt on birth date.) Left late '67 with guitarist Nick Pantas to form Electric Elves (later just Elves), cut two singles; car crash '70 killed Pantas, injured keyboardist Doug Thaler; Gary Driscoll, drums; guitarist Dave Feinstein unhurt. Mickey Lee Soule, keyboards and guitar, brought in; Thaler later rejoined as second guitar. Feinstein, Thaler departed early '73; Craig Gruber joined on bass, Dio concentrating on songs; Group now called Elf made eponymous LP for Epic USA, but others in UK for Deep Purple's Purple label (Carolina County Ball '74, Trying To Burn The Sun '75) brought melodic heavy rock more attention. Purple's Ritchie Blackmore borrowed group (ousting new guitarist Steve Edwards) to record solo Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow '75 while still with Purple; struck up songwriting partnership with Dio, group Rainbow became full-time concern (see Blackmore's entry). Dio quit Rainbow '79 to join Black Sabbath; lack of control/involvement in mixing live LP saw him leave to form own band '82; though departure was acrimonious (took drummer Vinnie Appice with him) his melodic approach had revitalized Sabbath. New group called Dio incl. ex-Wild Horses/Rainbow bassist Jimmy Bain, Irish guitarist Vivian Campbell (ex-Sweet Savage). With no need to compromise for the first time since Elf, Dio's insistence on writing songs rather than riffs brought band more radio play than most in genre; WB's initial 40,000 pressing of Holy Diver '83 turned into sales of half a million: made top 60 LPs in USA, no. 13 UK; The Last In Line '84 less well received by critics but made no. 23 US LP chart, while three singles from it hovered below UK top 40, fourth 'Mystery' reached no. 34. Dio balanced penchant for anthemic pomp rock with reluctance to go over the top ('We Rock'); live shows with lasers and mediaeval imagery incl. old Sabbath and Rainbow crowd pleasers. Keyboardist Claude Schnell joined '84; Sacred Heart released '85. Dio was prime mover in Hear'n'Aid '85, heavy metal charity-motivated supergroup with members of Judas Priest, Quiet Riot etc; they recorded Dio's 'Stars'. He described his favourite sound as 'big drum sounds, big guitar sounds, no ballads'. Campbell left '86, replaced by Craig Goldie; further albums were Dream Evil '87, Lock Up The Wolves '90, Strange Highways '94. |