Genre(s):
Heavy/Power Metal
Lyrical Theme(s):
Heroic Fantasy, Metaphors, Human Issues, Metal, Death
Origin:
United States of America (New York City, New York)
Formed In:
1982
Status:
Split-up
Last-Known Line-Up:
Ronnie James Dio (R.I.P. July 10 1942 - May 16, 2010, stomach cancer) - Vocals & Keyboards (ex-Rainbow, ex-Black Sabbath, Hear 'n Aid, Heaven And Hell (UK), Elf, The Vegas Kings, Ronnie & The Rumblers, Ronnie and The Red Caps, The Elves, Ronnie Dio & The Prophets)
Craig Goldy - Guitar & Keyboards (1986-1988, 1999-2002, 2004-) (Craig Goldy's Ritual , M.A.R.S., Driver, Giuffria, Hard Luck, Rough Cutt, ex-Hear 'n Aid)
Rudy Sarzo - Bass (2004-) (ex-Ozzy Osbourne, Hear 'n Aid, M.A.R.S., ex-Quiet Riot, ex-Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Whitesnake, Manic Eden, Dudes Of Wrath)
Simon Wright - Drums (1990-1991, 1998-) (ex-AC/DC, ex-Tytan, Aurora (UK), UFO, A-II-Z, ex- Tora Tora, Rhino Bucket)
Scott Warren - Keyboard (1993-) (Heaven And Hell (UK), Warrant)
Former/Past Member(s):
Guitar:
Jake E. Lee (1982) (Jakey Lou Williams) (Badlands, Rob Rock, Joe Holmes, Rough Cutt, Ozzy Osbourne)
Vivian Campbell (1982-1986) (Def Leppard, Hear 'n Aid, Sweet Savage, Whitesnake, Riverdogs, Shadow King, Clock, Trinity, Lou Gramm, Dudes Of Wrath)
Rowan Robertson (1989-1991) (Freedom, DC4, Chris Heaven (Guest))
Tracy "G" Grijalva (1993-1999) (Driven, Eightball Cholos, WWIII, Rags, Swift Kick, Chris Heaven (Guest))
Doug Aldrich (2002-2003, live 2005) (Burning Rain, Lion, Whitesnake, Bad Moon Rising, Hurricane, Minoru Niihara (Guest))
Drums:
Vinny Appice (1982-1989, 1992-1998) (Heaven And Hell (UK), Derringer, WWIII, Erik Norlander, Power Project, Minoru Niihara (Guest), Hear 'n Aid (Guest), ex-Black Sabbath, Axis, War and Peace, 3 Legged Dogg, Circle Of Tyrants)
James Kottak (live 1997) (Scorpions, Kingdom Come, Black Sheep (US), Krunk, Buster Brown)
Bass:
Jimmy Bain (also keyboards) (1982-1989, 1999-2003) (Rainbow, WWIII, Wild Horses, Key)
Teddy Cook (1989-1991) (Virgin Steele, Great White)
Jeff Pilson (1993-1996, 2004, plus various live appearances) (Dokken, Flesh And Blood, M.S.G., Lynch-Pilson, Power Project, Hear 'n Aid, Minoru Niihara, Munetaka Higuchi (Guest))
Jerry Best (Freak Of Nature, Lion)
Larry "Bones" Dennison (1998) (Lita Ford)
Bob Daisley (Rainbow, Ozzy Osbourne, ex-Black Sabbath, Yngwie J. Malmsteen , Planet Alliance, guest for Jorge Salan, Stream (US), Gary Moore, Uriah Heep, Mother's Army, Living Loud)
Chuck Garric Jr. (Alice Cooper, LynchMob)
Keyboard:
Claude Schnell (1983-1989) (Rough Cutt, Hughes/Thrall, Impellitteri, ex-Neil Turbin)
Jens Johansson (1989-1991) (Art Metal, Stratovarius, Mastermind (US), Johansson, The Johansson Brothers, Silver Mountain, ex-Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Adrian Barilari, Russell Allen's Atomic Soul)
Additional Notes
Ronald James Padovana joined/formed his first band in 1957 called The Vegas Kings, which was later changed to Ronnie & The Rumblers, and ultimately Ronnie & The Red Caps; this band called it quits in 1961. Next he formed Ronnie Dio and The Prophets in the Autumn of 1961; the band lasted until 1967. After this Dio formed The Electric Elves (1967-1969) who changed their name first to The Elves (1969-1970), and finally the more well known Elf (1970-1975).
Due to Elf's association with Deep Purple Dio was invited to sing for a Ritchie Blackmore solo project that went on to become Rainbow, who he sang for from 1975 to 1978. After leaving Rainbow he replaced Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath, recording two studio albums between 1979 and 1982 before leaving under acrymonous circumstances.
Dio took drummer Vinny Appice with him from Sabbath to form his own, eponymous band Dio, which started in 1983.
Dio was put on hold in the early 90s when Ronnie rejoined Black Sabbath, and was reactivated with a new line-up after he quit the band (again under stormy circumstances) after only one album.
Ronnie James Dio is generally credited as the originator of the famous mano cornuta (or "devil horns") symbol in the metal world. According to him, his grandmother used to make the symbol as a signal to ward off evil. Dio started using the gesture onstage in the early days of his career.
Scott Warren was part of the Dio line-up from 1993 to the end of the band in 2010, but mostly was only called upon to perform live, with Ronnie or his writing partner (whomever it was at the time) performing the keyboard parts in the studio.
In 2003, Ronnie accidentally cut off his thumb in a bizarre gardening accident. It was later sewn back on and became fully functional again.
Roger Glover, the bass player of Deep Purple, had, as a solo artist, a world wide hit in 1974, "Love is All". It had, for those days, a very special video-clip, with a frog. It was Ronnie James Dio who did the vocals for that song.
Dio rejoined his Black Sabbath band-mates again in 2007, this time under the name Heaven and Hell. They released one album in 2009, which would the final record of his long career.
Ronnie James Dio died in a hospital in Texas on May 16th, 2010 after battling a stomach cancer, thus the Dio band was no more.
The remaining four members of the band, along with vocalists Tim "Ripper" Owens and Toby Jepson (Little Angels, Gun), have continued to tour in in tribute as Dio Disciples. James LoMenzo and Doro Pesch have filled in for Rudy Sarzo and Owens, respectively.
Bootlegs:
Dio - On The Side [bootleg] - 2003
Due to Elf's association with Deep Purple Dio was invited to sing for a Ritchie Blackmore solo project that went on to become Rainbow, who he sang for from 1975 to 1978. After leaving Rainbow he replaced Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath, recording two studio albums between 1979 and 1982 before leaving under acrymonous circumstances.
Dio took drummer Vinny Appice with him from Sabbath to form his own, eponymous band Dio, which started in 1983.
Dio was put on hold in the early 90s when Ronnie rejoined Black Sabbath, and was reactivated with a new line-up after he quit the band (again under stormy circumstances) after only one album.
Ronnie James Dio is generally credited as the originator of the famous mano cornuta (or "devil horns") symbol in the metal world. According to him, his grandmother used to make the symbol as a signal to ward off evil. Dio started using the gesture onstage in the early days of his career.
Scott Warren was part of the Dio line-up from 1993 to the end of the band in 2010, but mostly was only called upon to perform live, with Ronnie or his writing partner (whomever it was at the time) performing the keyboard parts in the studio.
In 2003, Ronnie accidentally cut off his thumb in a bizarre gardening accident. It was later sewn back on and became fully functional again.
Roger Glover, the bass player of Deep Purple, had, as a solo artist, a world wide hit in 1974, "Love is All". It had, for those days, a very special video-clip, with a frog. It was Ronnie James Dio who did the vocals for that song.
Dio rejoined his Black Sabbath band-mates again in 2007, this time under the name Heaven and Hell. They released one album in 2009, which would the final record of his long career.
Ronnie James Dio died in a hospital in Texas on May 16th, 2010 after battling a stomach cancer, thus the Dio band was no more.
The remaining four members of the band, along with vocalists Tim "Ripper" Owens and Toby Jepson (Little Angels, Gun), have continued to tour in in tribute as Dio Disciples. James LoMenzo and Doro Pesch have filled in for Rudy Sarzo and Owens, respectively.
Bootlegs:
Dio - On The Side [bootleg] - 2003
Discography:
Dio - Holy Diver [full-length] - 1983
Dio - Holy Diver [single] - 1983
Dio - Rainbow In The Dark [single] - 1983
Dio - Mystery [single] - 1984
Dio - The Last In Line [single] - 1984
Dio - We Rock [single] - 1984
Dio - The Last In Line [full-length] - 1984
Dio - Hungry For Heaven [single] - 1985
Dio - Like The Beat Of A Heart (Live) [single] - 1985
Dio - Rock 'n' Roll Children [single] - 1985
Dio - Sacred Heart [full-length] - 1985
Dio - The Dio E.P [ep] - 1986
Dio - King Of Rock & Roll [single] - 1986
Dio - Intermission [ep] - 1986
Dio - All The Fools Sailed Away [single] - 1987
Dio - I Could Have Been A Dreamer [single] - 1987
Dio - Night People [single] - 1987
Dio - When A Woman Cries [single] - 1987
Dio - Dream Evil [full-length] - 1987
Dio - Lock Up The Wolves [full-length] - 1990
Dio - Hey Angel [single] - 1990
Dio - Diamonds - The Best Of Dio [best of/compilation] - 1992
Dio - Evilution [single] - 1994
Dio - Jesus Mary & The Holy Ghost [single] - 1994
Dio - Strange Highways [full-length] - 1994
Dio - Angry Machines [full-length] - 1996
Dio - Anthology [best of/compilation] - 1997
Dio - Inferno - The Last In Live [live] - 1998
Dio - Master Series Collection [best of/compilation] - 1998
Dio - Magica [full-length] - 2000
Dio - The Very Beast Of [best of/compilation] - 2000
Dio - Anthology Volume Two [best of/compilation] - 2001
Dio - Killing The Dragon [full-length] - 2002
Dio - Stand Up And Shout: The Dio Anthology [best of/compilation] - 2003
Dio - The Collection [best of/compilation] - 2003
Dio - We Rock - Greatest Hits [best of/compilation] - 2004
Dio - Master Of The Moon [full-length] - 2004
Dio - Evil Or Divine: Live In New York City [live] - 2005
Dio - Metal Hits [best of/compilation] - 2005
Dio - Holy Diver Live [live] - 2006
Dio - Electra [single] - 2009
Dio - Tournado [boxed set] - 2010
Dio - Dio at Donington UK: Live 1983 & 1987 [live] - 2010
Dio - Mightier than the Sword: The Ronnie James Dio Story [best of/compilation] - 2011
*****
Official site:
Dio Homepage
Dio @ Myspace
