The tributes to Ronnie James Dio keep pouring in. The legendary metal vocalist of Dio, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Elf and Heaven & Hell lost his battle with stomach cancer on Sunday. Today, we bring you some more tributes:Iron Maiden: It is with huge sadness we hear that Ronnie has lost his battle against stomach cancer, and our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Wendy and family at this terrible time. From his earlier years in Elf, Black Sabbath and Dio, right through to his most recent days fronting Heaven and Hell, Ronnie, time and again, proved his genius as a frontman, always giving his all to his fans and his music. Ronnie was not only an incredibly gifted singer but also a wonderfully warm, intelligent and generous person and this shone through both on and off stage leaving a positive mark on everyone he came into contact with. A longstanding friend of Maiden, we played many shows together over the years and we will all miss him greatly. The world has lost an irreplaceable talent and, first and foremost, one of the finest human beings you could ever wish to meet. Steve, Bruce, Adrian, Dave, Janick, Nicko and Rod
Ozzy Osbourne: I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Ronnie James Dio. Metal has truly lost one of its greatest voices. My heart goes out to his family and to his many fans. Love and respect.
Dio's Rudy Sarzo: I'm saddened beyond words. I will miss the sound of your voice, your magical presence and your wondrous stories. My only consolation is that your now free from your pain. I love you, Ronnie.
Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister: I'm truly upset, especially since he seemed to be rallying at the Golden Gods show. Bon Voyage, Ronnie. Rest in peace. I'm devastated
Slayer's Kerry King: Few people have had the ability to carry a song like Dio, literally demanding your attention as he effortlessly recreated live the amazing things he did on record. It's odd how things get taken from you quickly...I just saw him a month ago. I know I was lucky to have known Ronnie. One of the nicest guys in the business without a doubt. He will be hugely missed.
Duff McKagan (via Seattle Weekly.com): My part in this 'summer music playlist' it is going to be a touch bittersweet as it turns out. Last weekend, Ronnie James Dio succumbed to his battle with stomach cancer. From what I understand, Ronnie fought like a warrior to the end. I was supposed to pick a new-ish song for this list, but when it comes to rocking out in the summertime , sometimes you just got to go a little bit old-damn-school. 'Last In Line' is an ass-kicker right up there with anything, punk, rock, and/or metal, and us rockers owe a bit of reverence to this great man. R.I.P., RJD!
Steve Vai: Dio was a shining light of rock/metal authenticity. He was a completely dedicated artist with massive talent. It's likely that his vital contributions will continue to inspire well into the future. He is now legend. But more than all this, Ronnie was a really cool guy. I mean reeeally cool. God bless you, brutha.
Bob Daisley:Today, with the sad passing of my friend and colleague, the world has lost a great man. Not only was he a unique singer, musician and writer, he was a very special human being. Long live Rock 'n' Roll and long live the memory of the great Ronnie James Dio. He'll be sadly missed in many ways, bless him.
Joey Vera of Anthrax/Armored Saint: Ronnie James Dio. His name shall be part of the very definition of the term heavy metal. All of us in this community owe a big part to him as he helped shape our entire genre. And he did it with complete originality and sincerity. He is the real deal. By now you've read much about him and how every person who'd had the pleasure of meeting the man use the words "kind," "nice," "humble" and so on. I can tell you that these descriptions are truly accurate. I had the honor of being on tour with Dio on two occasions. Once on his "Magica" tour in 2001 while I was in Armored Saint and then later in 2004 while I was touring with Anthrax. I would watch Ronnie every night side stage and I was continuously blown away by his high level of performance. I must have seen over 40 shows from this vantage point and I never, ever saw or heard a single flaw. You always knew he was a great singer but It was then that I was convinced that he was a gift to us from some other place. Then there's all the times I saw him with Sabbath. I can't even go on
When you have the privilege of meeting someone like Ronnie an idol, a legend you almost expect a person like this to be overly confident, cocky, and they deserve to be, really. But Ronnie was the complete opposite. He really was the most humble, sincere and kind person you'd ever meet. He would always find time to stop in his tracks and say a few words to you. He was so down to earth and generous. Through his humility he's taught us all that a man is not measured by the size of his wallet, or trophy collection, but instead by the size of his heart. I myself am glad that he chose the profession of singing because even though his body has been taken from us, his voice will stay here for all eternity. We're all trying really hard here, but Ronnie, we can't thank you enough.
Billboard rounded up some more great tributes. Here are a couple- followed by a link to check out more.
Chickenfoot's Michael Anthony told Billboard.com that he used to cover "Man on the Silver Mountain with Van Halen and sharing the stage with Dio at some European festivals. "He was a great guy," Anthony said. "I remember when we opened for them, all of us were back at the hotel having some drinks; it was his birthday, and I remember us all just hanging out, and he was just a great guy, definitely a driving force in hard rock music."
Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour called Dio "one of the strongest, purist and consistent singers of all time. Ronnie sang like he lived -- all out, from the heart, with so much honesty and joy. He was a great man with a smile and a handshake for fans and peers alike. He spoke his mind and stood his ground for decades. I will miss him dearly."
Check out more tributes at - Billboard
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