Ronald James Padavona, better known as
Ronnie James Dio, was an
American rock and
heavy metal vocalist and
guitarist. He performed with, amongst others,
Elf,
Rainbow,
Black Sabbath,
Heaven & Hell, and his own band
Dio. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser
Hear 'n Aid. He was widely hailed as one of the most powerful singers in heavy metal,
renowned for his consistently powerful voice. He often ranks as one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time in various online polls and lists. He is credited with popularizing the "
metal horns" hand gesture in metal culture. Prior to his death, he was collaborating on a project with former Black Sabbath bandmates
Tony Iommi,
Geezer Butler, and
Vinny Appice, under the moniker Heaven & Hell, whose only studio album,
The Devil You Know, was released on April 28, 2009.
Dio died of
stomach cancer on May 16, 2010.
One of the last songs he recorded was titled "Metal Will Never Die".