Wendy Dio, wife and manager of renowned metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio (Dio, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Heaven & Hell), has released the following statement:"Ronnie has been diagnosed with the early stages of stomach cancer. We are starting treatment immediately at the Mayo Clinic. After he kills this dragon, Ronnie will be back on stage, where he belongs, doing what he loves best, performing for his fans.
"Long live rock and roll, long live Ronnie James Dio.
"Thanks to all the friends and fans from all over the world that have sent well wishes. This has really helped to keep his spirit up."
Ronnie James Dio, now 67, is famous for his affiliations with his own band, Dio, as well as Black Sabbath, Rainbow, and Elf. He also worked on other projects, including Hear ‘n Aid, a fundraising effort for famine relief in Africa. Dio is widely hailed as being among the most powerful singers in metal. He is also credited for popularizing the “devil’s horns” gesture, which became a prominent part of metal culture. As of late, Dio has been involved with Heaven & Hell, an endeavour that includes former Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Vinny Appice, and Geezer Butler. On April 28, 2009, the group released their first studio album entitled The Devil You Know.
Just last week, Dio cancelled its European tour after Ronnie had reportedly taken ill. The band line-up was slated to include Whitesnake/ex-Dio guitarist Doug Aldrich (due to regular guitarist Craig Goldy having prior touring commitments with Budgie in Australia).
Dio’s most recent release was the Holy Diver Live album which featured the classic album performed in its entirely, from beginning to end, for the very first time. The album was recorded in 2005 in London.
No comments:
Post a Comment