Ronnie Dio "The Voice Of Metal" Dies

Metal Master Singer Ronnie James Dio is dead, The voice of Metal has vanished.

Inspiration for hundreds of Musicians around the World and once front man for such influential Classic Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Bands; Black Sabbath and Rainbow has left this world early morning today Sunday May 16th 2010 at age 67 from Cancer.

Born in New Hampshire, USA, early in his life Ronnie played Bass and fronted several Rock and Roll Bands between 1957 and 1969, while in Elf on 1972 he was discovered by members of Deep Purple and consequently asked to tour in support of the British veterans through the US.

In 1974 his voice was featured on Purple's Bass guitarist solo project entitled, The Butterfly Ball and The Grasshopper's Feast, soon after he went to be part of Power Metal Pioneers, Rainbow along Guitarist extraordinaire Ritchie Blackmore in which was to be known as one of the most influential groups of the genre and the stronger incarnation of that band between 1975 and 1978 putting out the Classic albums; the self titled Blackmore's Rainbow, Long Live Rock and Roll and Rising besides Live in Germany 1976 and On Stage 1977.

Dio took the front man position in Black Sabbath between 1980 and 1982 releasing the classics Heaven and Hell, Mob Rules and the eponymous double album Live Evil.

Launching his solo career with Holy Diver and popularizing the Hand Horns sign, Dio stayed in top form for years and never sold out to media. Also he was the man behind the 1985 "We Stars" Hear 'n Aid project which was a joint effort from the Heavy Metal scene of the 1980s to raise money for famine relief in Africa (and a response to the pop version "We are the World") the song which featured 40 Heavy Metal artists raised $1 million within a year.

Dio re united with Black Sabbath for Dehumanizer in 1990, released 10 albums from 1982 to 2004 as solo artist. He also recorded and toured with Heaven and Hell which portrayed Black Sabbath's classic line up of his tenure with the Heavy Metal outfit until 2009 when diagnosed of the terminal disease.

His voice will be missed as one of the most charismatic, stronger and technical vocal talents of all time in Heavy Metal Music history, rest in peace Dio, because of you we cry today but also We Rock!

Rodrigo Trupp