Dio is the Italian word for God

Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona, July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010) was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He fronted numerous groups including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band, Dio.

He is credited with popularizing the "metal horns" m/ hand gesture in metal culture

He is also known for his medieval themed lyrics. Dio possessed a powerful versatile vocal range capable of singing both hard rock and lighter ballads and according to Rainbow/Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore upon hearing him sing, "I felt shivers down my spine."

Dio sold over 47 million albums throughout his career.