Ronald James Padavona (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010), better known professionally as Ronnie James Dio or simply Dio, was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He fronted andor founded numerous groups including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio, and Heaven & Hell. He is credited with popularizing the "metal horns" hand gesture in metal culture and was known for his medieval-themed lyrics. Dio possessed a powerful versatile vocal range capable of singing both hard rock and lighter ballads.