Dio - Early years

Born on July 10, 1942 , this Cortland, New York native began his recording career back in 1958. Even back then, the seeds of Ronnie James Dio's future musical excesses had already been sown. After more than 40 years in the rock business, Ronnie James Dio has shown he still has what it takes to get the job done. The mystery surrounding Ronnie's age is still going. He himself says the age is not important, the only thing that matters is the music. He was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, but was raised in Cortland, near Syracuse in New York State in the USA, in a quiet, Italian, middle class community. Ronnie changed his name sometime (the exact date is unknown) from Padovana to Dio - Which means "God" in Italian.

---

Nowadays there is a street named after him in Cortland - the Dio Way, located between Central Avenue and East Court Street. The street was named on 15 November 1988.

Ronnie James Dio's main interests already in his childhood were music and romantic fantasy literature, such as the works of Sir Walter Scott and the Arthurian legend. He has also always liked science fiction literature, as well as sports - that is probably because his father played softball at some local team when Ronnie was a child and the whole family went to watch the games.

"I've been a musician for as long as I can remember, but I never fancied myself a singer when I was young." Having always wanted to be a performer, Ronnie's main interest was sport. "...Though my first idea of performing was to play sports - A Sort of unrealistic goal for a guy who topped out at 5 foot 4 inches and 130 pounds."

"I began playing the trumpet when I was 5 years old. It was baseball I really wanted to play, so I asked my dad if he'd buy me a bat. He said "No. You need a musical education" When he got me a trumpet, I said, "You can't hit a ball with this thing!" I didn't know why I had it. The next day I started music lessons - four hours of practice every day until I was seventeen."

Ronnie had played both trumpet and bass. His father bought him a trumpet when he was a child and Ronnie played it until he started to play bass later on. This is how he progressed to his very first band. Ronnie himself credits his voice to that trumpet, he says that without the breathing exercises with trumpet he wouldn't have his voice.

THE VEGAS KINGS

1957 - 1957

Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass / Trumpet
Nick Pantas - Guitars
Tommy Rogers - Drums / Percussion

In 1957 some local school kids got together to form a band. The band was a school band in Cortland, New York entitled The Vegas Kings. Ronnie played bass and trumpet and also contributed vocals.

1957 - 1957

Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass / Trumpet
Jack Musci - Saxophone
Nick Pantas - Guitars
Tommy Rogers - Drums / Percussion

Later on that year they added Jack Musci to play Sax. First they went under name The Vegas Kings but they soon changed their name to...

RONNIE AND THE RUMBLERS

1957 - 1958

Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass / Trumpet
Jack Musci - Saxophone
Nick Pantas - Guitars
Tommy Rogers - Drums / Percussion

Ronnie And The Rumblers... They chose the name Ronnie and the Rumblers because their "theme" song was Dwane Eddy's Rumble. They played at dances every weekend and on Sunday they would rent the local American Legion Hall and sell tickets and play for 2 or 3 hours. In 1958 they had a chance to play a bigger venue in Johnson City New York. The only catch was that they had to change their name...

RONNIE AND THE RED CAPS

1958 - 1958

Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass / Trumpet
Jack Musci - Saxophone
Nick Pantas - Guitar
Tommy Rogers - Drums / Percussion

...Because the organiser of the show did not like the name: Rumblers. To "rumble" means to fight so the organiser didn't want any scuffle's to arise. So they performed under the name Ronnie and the Redcaps and the name stayed the same until late 1961. Continuing to play dances, halls, and fraternity parties at Cornell University the band kept busy. It is said that the Musicians Union at the time was getting upset because they were requested and play so many events that the "old timers" couldn't get any shows.

1958 - 1958

Billy De Wolf - Vocals
Ronnie James Dio - Backing Vocals / Bass / Trumpet
Jack Musci - Saxophone
Nick Pantas - Guitar
Tommy Rogers - Drums / Percussion

At about this time there was an addition to the band, a vocalist named Billy De Wolf. He is said not to have had an important role in the band because he came and went and wasn't with the band long. In 1958 or 1959 either a member of the band or Jimmy Pantas, Nick Pantas's brother and manager of the band, became friends with somebody who owned a private recording studio in Trumansberg or Trumansville in New York. This is where they recorded their first and only single on the Reb label. Billy was a part of the band when they recorded the single in New York in 1958 or 1959. He is the vocalist on "Lover" on the A-side of the single, and is also credited with writing the song. The song "Conquest" on the B-side of the single is an instrumental written by Nick and Ronnie. Ronnie does play trumpet on this song. Both Ronnie and Jack play pretty good brass on this song. It is unclear how many of these records were pressed but it is certainly under 500 and some sources say 100, even 50 is more accurate. The real recording date and release date is unknown at this time.

1958 - 1958

Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass / Trumpet
Jack Musci - Saxophone
Nick Pantas - Guitar
Tommy Rogers - Drums / Percussion

Shortly after this record Billy De Wolf left the band. Unfortunately Billy is in prison in Southern California, and has been there for more than half his life. This left the band in its original form and more importantly left Ronnie in charge of the band from now on. At this point Ronnie takes over the lead vocals.

1958 - 1960

Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass / Trumpet
Nick Pantas - Guitar
Tommy Rogers - Drums / Percussion

In there freshman year in Collage in Buffalo, Ronnie and Jack were still playing on the weekends. In the fall of 1960 Jack Musci's Father gave him an ultimatum, either quit the band or his father would stop paying for college. In the fall of 1960 Jack Musci left the band. Jack is currently a teacher/administrator in a Cortland area school system.

1960 - 1961

Dick Bottoff - Guitar
Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass
Nick Pantas - Guitar
Tommy Rogers - Drums / Percussion

RONNIE DIO AND THE PROPHETS

Ronnie James Dio And The Prophets

1961 - Mid 1967

Dick Bottoff/David Feinstein- Guitar
Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass
Nick Pantas - Guitar
Tommy Rogers/Gary Driscoll- Drums / Percussion

Ronnie And The Red Caps changed their name to Ronnie Dio And The Prophets in 1961. Under this name, the line-up lasted for quite a long time and produced several singles and one album.The Ronnie Dio And The Prophets band ended in autumn 1967, when Ronnie and Nick continued on in a band called The Electric Elves.

THE ELF HISTORY

THE ELECTRIC ELVES/THE ELVES

Late 1967 - 1972

Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass
Gary Driscoll - Drums / Percussion
Dave Feinstein - Guitar
Doug Thaler - Keyboards/Guitar
Mickey Lee Soule - Keyboards
Nick Pantas - Guitar

Ronnie handled both the vocals and the bass, Nick and Ronnie's cousin Dave Feinstein offered a dual guitar partnership. Gary Driscoll handled the Drums and Doug Thaler the keyboards. The band was called The Electric Elves.

The title of this band is under an "Elf" theme, as this was devised from the relative shortness of the band; Ronnie was 5 foot 4 inches tall, like the rest and Dave was 5 foot! A theme the band sticks to for the future bands they form. Out of this band a single is released in December of 1967, it included: "Hey, Look Me Over," backed with: "It Pays To Advertise." The name didn't last for too long, as in mid 1969 they decided to change it simply to The Elves...

Elf

Early 1972

Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass
Gary Driscoll - Drums / Percussion
Dave Feinstein - Guitar
Mickey Lee Soule - Keyboards

Doug Thaler leaves the band, before they started to work on material for an album. During the time where they were actively looking for a recording contract, and earning their living across America playing clubs, college bars and the like, Roger Glover and Ian Paice of Deep Purple happened to see them in a club, auditioning for Columbia Records in January 1972.

After being noticed by the Deep Purple bass player, Roger Glover, and drummer Ian Paice, they offered to produce an album for them. In April 1972 the band went with the two Deep Purple members to record an album at Studio One in Atlanta, Georgia in America. The studio sessions yielded the band's hesitant debut album, which was simply entitled "Elf," and released on the Purple Records label.

After the release of their album, and because of this relation to Deep Purple
the band played as the support for Deep Purple on at least two US tours; from August to September and from November to December 1972. However, these dates aren't necessarily fully correct, Elf may have toured with Deep Purple on other dates too.

Mid 1972 - December 1974

Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass
Gary Driscoll - Drums / Percussion
Steve Edwards - Guitar
Craig Gruber - Bass
Mickey Lee Soule - Keyboards



Mid 1972 - December 1974

Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass
Gary Driscoll - Drums / Percussion
Steve Edwards - Guitar
Craig Gruber - Bass
Mickey Lee Soule - Keyboards

Dave Feinstein leaves and Ronnie quits playing bass guitar to concentrate on the vocals. Left as a three piece, Elf now has to look for a guitarist and a bass player to complete their line up. Steve Edwards is recruited on guitar to take the place of Dave Feinstein.

Bass player Craig Gruber joins, leaving Ronnie to concentrate entirely on the vocals, something which will result in getting the band noticed by a few other well known faces. This line up makes Elf a more recognised and a more accomplished band with it's Jazz / Country / Blues / Rock influences, also with the help of more tours with Deep Purple, their popularity increases.

In the summer of 1973, Elf signed a new record contract with MGM Records in America and with Purple Records in the United Kingdom. In early 1974 the band travelled to UK to record their second album at The Manor Studios. It was produced by Roger Glover and was called: "Carolina County Ball." However, the USA release was named after a different song, namely: "L. A. / 59," it also had a totally different sleeve. The reasons behind the name change are not known.

After release of Carolina County Ball, Elf toured supporting Deep Purple on their UK tour in April to May of 1974. At the same time Ronnie James Dio and Mickey Lee Soule participated also Roger Glover's solo project called: "Butterfly Ball And The Grasshopper's Feast." Roger makes Ronnie a noticed face as he sung three songs on the album and co wrote a further two.

In the summer of 1974 Elf travelled to USA to support Deep Purple on their US tour. At least some of the shows featured also an American band called Aerosmith - this happened at least in August 1974 at Dillon Stadium in Connecticut, USA.

Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple wanted to record a solo song, rejected by the rest of his band. He and Elf went to studio with to record this single called "Black Sheep Of The Family." Besides Elf, there were other musicians, for example keyboardist Matthew Fisher from Procol Harum as well. A band called Quartermass originally wrote the song.

After some time, Ritchie contacted Ronnie and asked if he would be interested in doing another track together with him. Ronnie wrote a song in the same night and went to record it with him. The song was called "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves." It was meant to be released as a B-side for "Black Sheep Of The Family," but for some reason the single was never released. The version of "Black Sheep Of The Family" that would appear on the first Rainbow album whould differ from the original version at least to some extent. Existence of an acetate of the original recording has been rumoured, but no-one has come up with one.

Right after the recording of "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves," Ritchie asked Ronnie whether he and rest of the Elf would be interested in putting a band together with him. Elf were already recording "Trying To Burn The Sun" at this time, so they decided to form Rainbow right after the album was recorded.

December 1974 - February 1975

Ronnie James Dio - Vocals
Gary Driscoll - Drums / Percussion
Steve Edwards - Guitar
Craig Gruber - Bass
Mark Nauseef - Percussion
Mickey Lee Soule - Keyboards

After Elf recorded "Black Sheep In The Family" and "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves" with Ritchie, they returned back to UK in early 1975 with one new man. Mark Nauseef, a drummer, joined the band to play percussion in December of 1974. Elf went to record their third, and what will become their final album "Trying To Burn The Sun." The recording takes place at Kingsway studios, again with Roger Glover as producer. Ritchie Blackmore also oversees the recording process of the third Elf album but he didn't play on it, despite some rumours at that time. During the recording of the album, a much more hard-rock / jazz influenced album, Ronnie is asked to help out Ritchie, now out of Deep Purple, with his solo album. Rather than Ronnie using this opportunity to better himself over the people in Elf, who were his best friends, the people he dreamt with and loved, he told Ritchie, "if you want me, then take the rest of the members of my band," and so...

After recording the "Trying To Burn The Sun" album, Elf folded up immediately, even before the album was actually released. Mark Nauseef left on his own and guitarist Steve Edwards was fired. The remaining members of Elf formed Ritchie Blackmore"s Rainbow with former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore before the current Elf album had even been released.

This third album was not released in the UK because the band wanted to avoid a clash with the first Rainbow album, which was released shortly after the release of "Trying To Burn The Sun" in the USA. There are some rumours around about a live album, simply titled as "Elf Live," that should"ve been released in 1976, but this album is a rarity as no one seems to have a copy of it.

"Trying To Burn The Sun" was the first album where Ronnie James Dio used his second name. He started to use it when Ritchie Blackmore once asked him "What"s your second name? Why don"t you use it as a part of your name?" Ronnie's stage and professional name is Ronnie James Dio. His name was originally Ronald Padovana.

Ronnie James Dio - Vocals
Dave Feinstein - Guitar

After a while, Ronnie and Dave Feinstein (Ronnie's cousin) decide that they will put Elf back together for a reunion album and maybe a tour. Talks continue for about a year before things start to happen.

Ronnie James Dio - Vocals
Dave Feinstein - Guitar
Mickey Lee Soule - Keyboards

After hearing news about a possible Elf reunion, former keyboardist, Mickey Lee Soule, joins in on the reunion.

Joey DiMao - Bass
Ronnie James Dio - Vocals
Dave Feinstein - Guitar
Mickey Lee Soule - Keyboards