The first time I heard Dio I was about 8 and I was pretty sure it was the worst music I had ever heard. My dad had the Sacred Heart album and I didn't get the appeal. If you know me at all, you know I'm a music lover and most of that is my father's influence (thanks, Dad because Mom was no help here at all) but Dio did not appeal to me until much later.
The more I heard Ronnie James Dio sing over the years, the more I appreciated his dramatic vocal range and his fantasy-like songs that made me think about Lord of the Rings like characters and settings. I also appreciated his ability to quietly call out the establishment (a.k.a. The Man), be it organized religion or politicians. I also grew to love Black Sabbath under his vocal influence far better than Ozzy's reign.
Beyond music, Ronnie James Dio seemed like a down-to-earth guy who fully recognized that music was meant to be fun and entertaining. His interviews were always amusing and it was clear that he enjoyed what he did.
Thanks for music, Ronnie. Now go do yourselves a favor and check out RJD and Yngwie Malmsteen cover Aerosmith's "Dream On" here. You'll never need to hear Steven Tyler do this song again.
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