The legacy and the influence left on the early years of the genre of heavy metal and it’s culture by Ronnie James Dio is truly one of the biggest phenomenons, regarding his rather modest life. Since he was the exception to the famous stereotype of the rock’n’roll life, I truly believe that he can be presented in a formal way, while still keeping the main purpose of praising one of the most iconic musicians of heavy metal, therefore I chose him as the theme of this assignmet. I will be presenting his early life, his music career and the activities involving it throughout the years, talk about his death and legacy, and point out some references in the pop culture and about his life overall made to him.

Picture 1. Ronnie James Dio

To give a quick rundown of who he is, Ronnie James Dio, or simply Dio, was an American heavy metal singer, songwriter and composer. He was the frontman of numerous bands, the most famous being Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and Heaven & Hell (chronologically speaking). His lyrics were mostly inspired by medieval and mythological themes. Ritchie Blackmore, when he was asked in an interview about the first time hearing Dio’s singing, he said “I felt shivers down my spine”[1]. Around 47 million albums were sold worldwide where Dio was involved during his career.

[1] Van Pelt, Doug (May—June 1997). „What Dio Sez”. HM Magazine (65). ISSN 1066-6923.

dio

INTRODUCTION

The Journey Begins