Ronnie James Dio Forest Lawn Hollywood

The Story

Ronald James Padavona was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on July 10, 1942. He played bass in local bands in Cortland, New York, before becoming a vocalist. He played in Elf, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, replaced Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath in 1979 and recorded Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules. In 1982, he formed Dio, with Holy Diver and "Rainbow in the Dark." He is credited as being primarily responsible for popularizing the metal horn gesture. He died of stomach cancer on May 16, 2010, at the age of 67.

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