Taking the surname of mafia gangster Johnny Dio, Ronnie James Dio (real name
Ronnie James Padavona) became a star of the 1970s heavy metal scene, fronting a
host of bands including Elf, Rainbow and briefly replacing Ozzy Osbourne in rock
legends Black Sabbath. Forming Dio with Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice in 1982,
Ronnie's huge, howling voice turned the band into cult heroes of the hard rock
world, with early singles Rainbow In The Dark and The Last In Line becoming
popular MTV hits and reaching the US Top 20. Debut album Holy Driver (1983)
became regarded by critics as a landmar...