Ronnie James Dio left a mark on everyone around him, and 12 years later the same can be felt by everyone that ever had the opportunity to connect with him. Talking about the journey he had with Dio, Tony Iommi said that he had quite the ride with the rocker and touched hearts along the way.
Iommi recalled how he called Dio from the hospital despite dealing with stomach cancer and the two would talk for hours and share memories to get them both in a good mood. Dio wanted to record another Heaven and Hell album, and tour again.
The world had an exceptional performer in Dio, but his untimely death in 2010 left a void in the hearts of those that worked with him that can never be filled.
Iommi was full of passion for his late friend who said that Dio wanted to do another “Heaven And Hell” album before his passing. The death left the dream in shatters, but the hope of doing it someday may live on. Dio replaced Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath in 1980 and recorded the “Heaven And Hell” and “Mob Rules” albums, plus “Live Evil”, before leaving in 1982.
He joined the group a decade later for an album called “Dehumanizer” and again teamed with the group under the Heaven & Hell banner in 2006. Heaven & Hell released “The Devil You Know” in 2009.
Ronnie’s long-awaited autobiography, titled “Rainbow In The Dark: The Autobiography”, was released on July 2021 via Permuted Press. members Dio, Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice reunited to record a trio of new songs for Rhino’s “Black Sabbath: The Dio Years” before launching a greatly acclaimed world tour under their new moniker Heaven & Hell.
“The Devil You Know” sold 30,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release back in May 2009 to debut at position No. 8 on The Billboard 200 chart. Now that’s an unfathomable feat to achieve for the performers.
