Why Ronnie James Dio Was The Bravest Musician In Metal
“Ronnie has been diagnosed with the early stages of stomach cancer. We are starting treatment immediately. After he kills this dragon, Ronnie will be back on stage, where he belongs, doing what he loves best – performing for his fans.” So read part of the statement issued by Wendy Dio, Ronnie’s wife and manager, announcing her husband’s illness to the world in November 2009. While the subject matter was serious, the mere mention of a dragon was a knowing wink to the man’s own self-deprecating sense of humour. It also nodded to elements in Ronnie’s own illustrious past: his unabashed sword-and-sorcery lyricism, his slightly daft onstage prop (aka Denzel The Dragon, as seen in the 1985 Sacred Heart video), and the title track of Dio’s 2002 album, Killing The Dragon itself. Hav...
