RONNIE JAMES DIO 'Went Out On A High Note,' Says WENDY DIO

Ronnie James Dio‘s widow Wendy Dio has told Fox News that the legendary heavy metal singer enjoyed the final years of his life as the frontman of HEAVEN & HELL in which he was reunited with his former BLACK SABBATH bandmates Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Vinny Appice (drums).

“He was very happy because he had gone back to the BLACK SABBATH guys,” Wendy said. “They had reformed again and made some albums and a bunch of tours. Because he had left before in the ’90s negatively, it was really great that they were all back together and everything was good.

“I think he had completed his circle before he passed,” she added. “He went out on a high note. I don’t think he could have lived if he had lost his voice and not be able to perform again. So I like to look at it in a positive way, that it was is time, that he chose to go.”

In 2006, BLACK SABBATH‘s “Heaven And Hell”-era incarnation reunited as HEAVEN & HELL. Dio, Iommi, Butler and Appice recorded the acclaimed 2009 album “The Devil You Know”, and toured on and off for the next few years.

HEAVEN & HELL came to an end when Ronnie James Dio died of stomach cancer in 2010. He passed away less than six months after announcing he had been diagnosed with the disease.

Ronnie James Dio‘s estate has just auctioned off 666 items from the late singer, including stage-worn clothing from tours with BLACK SABBATH and RAINBOW, the original Barry Jackson painting used for DIO‘s 1984 album “The Last In Line”, gold records, his passport (with real name Ronald James Padavona), music equipment and instruments.

The auction took place on September 14 and September 15 at Hard Rock Cafe in New York.

Fonte: Blabbermouth.net