For many fantastic reasons, the singer Ronnie James Dio was recognized as one of the finest heavy metal vocalists of all time. Along with his outstanding vocal abilities, Dio gave the world of headbanging another gift by turning a straightforward folk magic sign he learned from his grandmother into the notorious “devil horns” symbol.
Just pay attention to the man to see why. Oh, and before he founded his own, illustrious band, Dio, Ronald James Padavona was picked to perform in not one but two bands that were forerunners of the heavy metal subgenre: Rainbow, helmed by Deep Purple guitarist Richie Blackmore, and a little group called Black Sabbath.
How good of a singer was Ronnie James Dio?
Dio was able to sing both heavier ballads and heavy rock due to his strong, adaptable vocal range. In 2006, Classic Rock Magazine presented him with the “Metal Guru Award.”
In addition, he received the “Best Metal Singer” honor at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in 2010 and was considered the best vocalist in the genre in 2013 by music critic Sacha Jenkins.
