Ronnie James Dio 's longtime partner , Wendy Dio , was a guest on the radio program Full Metal Jackie , and reminisced about her husband, who passed away ten years ago in 2020.
The touching interview with Wendy reveals what she imagines the artist would be doing if he were alive, and how he is still present in her life.
Check out the full subtitled interview below:
It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since Ronnie passed away. Knowing him so well, Wendy, what do you think he would be doing musically now?
On tour as always, doing the same thing he loved. He loved his fans, so he would continue writing and doing the same things he did before finishing Magica , which was supposed to be three albums. He would probably be finishing Magica II and Magica III. I think that's what he would be doing.
I don't know what he would be doing right now during this horrible pandemic – probably sitting at home writing songs.
Ronnie was one of those rare singers who possessed such robust and vibrant voices. Listening to his music now, it's easy to forget he's gone. How aware was he of his incredible and transcendent singing?
I think it was just a natural talent for him, although it wasn't exactly a natural talent. It was a natural talent because he was born with it and didn't realize what he had. All the trumpet playing – the breathing exercises from having a trumpet that he started playing when he was five years old – I think that's why it was so strong.
You met Ronnie when he was with Rainbow. What did you recognize in him that ultimately materialized in terms of the impressive achievement of being part of not one, but three significant bands?
Well, he was an incredibly intelligent person and read a book almost every day. He loved people and could talk to anyone of any age, from eight to eighty, and bring things out of them. He had a way of talking to someone and making you feel really important, and whatever you had to say, he was listening and thinking about what you were saying.
We were very young when we met in Rainbow. He had just joined the band and had just finished an album completely, the first one, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow , but he hadn't yet gone on tour when I met Ronnie.
With Ronnie, you got a firsthand look at some of the most iconic heavy metal songs ever made. Which of his songs, if there really is only one, is your favorite?
I have many favorites, but of course, my favorite is “Rainbow Eyes” because he wrote that about me. Although I love “Stargazer” and “Holy Diver.” I love “Heaven and Hell,” “Don’t Talk to Strangers”… there are so many great songs that I love. “This Is Your Life” – I think it was a very beautiful song.
Check out "Rainbow Eyes" by Rainbow below:
