New RONNIE JAMES DIO Covers Album âThis Is Your Lifeâ
Celebrates the Life and Legacy of a Legend
Available April 1, 2014 via Rhino
This Is Your Life Pays Tribute To The Late Singer With Covers Of
His Greatest Songs From Rainbow, Black Sabbath, And Dio
Features Newly Recorded Tracks From Anthrax, Halestorm, Rob Halford, Metallica, Motörhead, Scorpions, Corey Taylor, And Tenacious D, Among Others
To Benefit The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund
Ronnie James Dio is one of the most beloved figures in rock history. His gifts, both as a singer and songwriter, are instantly recognizable, whether he was with Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, or leading Dio. Sadly, Dio lost his battle with stomach cancer in 2010, but his towering voice and legacy live on.
To celebrate one of rockâs most powerful voices, an all-star group of his friends and fans recorded 13 of their favorite tracks for a tribute album that will raise funds for the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (diocancerfund.org). Produced by his longtime manager and wife Wendy Dio, the album includes contributions by such metal heavyweights as Metallica, Motörhead, Scorpions, Anthrax, and Rob Halford, as well as appearances by many of the musicians who performed with Dio over the years.
This Is Your Life will be available from Rhino on April 1, 2014 for a suggested list price of $18.98. A digital version will also be available.
Although the songs featured on the album touch on the different eras of Dioâs career, several spotlight his time with Rainbow, including Metallicaâs epic, nine-minute âRonnie Rising Medley,â which combines the Rainbow songs âA Light In The Black,â âTarot Woman,â âStargazer,â and âKill The King.â Scorpions add a scorching take on âThe Temple Of The Kingâ while Motörhead is joined by Biff Byford from Saxon on âStarstruck.â Rob Halford teams with frequent Dio collaborators Vinny Appice, Doug Aldrich, Jeff Pilson, and Scott Warren for âThe Man On The Silver Mountain.â The final line-up of Dioâs solo band â Simon Wright, Craig Goldy, Rudy Sarzo and Scott Warren â are joined by Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath) for âCatch The Rainbow,â a track from Rainbowâs 1975 debut.
Anthrax and Adrenaline Mob honor Dioâs memorable stint with Black Sabbath with their takes on âNeon Knightsâ and âThe Mob Rulesâ respectively, as does a group, led by Oni Logan on vocals along with Jimmy Bain, Rowan Robertson, and Brian Tichy, which performs âIâ from Dehumanizer.
This Is Your Life also includes songs from Dioâs back-to-back platinum albums Holy Diver (1983) and The Last In Line (1984), with Doroâs take on âEgypt (The Chains Are On)â, Halestorm tackling âStraight Through The Heart,â Corey Taylor (Stone Sour, Slipknot) covering the classic âRainbow In The Darkâ and Tenacious D (Jack Black and Kyle Glass) putting their signature spin on âThe Last In Line.â Killswitch Engageâs cover of âHoly Diver,â a hit in its own right when released in 2006, is also included here.
Fittingly, Ronnie James Dio provides the finale (and the albumâs title) with his moving performance of âThis Is Your Life.â Originally released on Angry Machines (1996), the songâs lyrics explore mortality and are backed by a stark and beautiful arrangement that features Dio accompanied only by his longtime keyboardist Scott Warren on piano. The song serves as a poignant reminder that we will never hear a voice like Dioâs again.
The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund, co-founded by Wendy Dio, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable fund dedicated to supporting cancer-prevention research, raising awareness and educating the public about the vital importance of early detection and prevention when dealing with this deadly disease.
RONNIE JAMES DIO: This Is Your Life Track Listing:
- âNeon Knightsâ â Anthrax*
- âThe Last In Lineâ â Tenacious D*
- âThe Mob Rulesâ â Adrenaline Mob
- âRainbow In The Darkâ â Corey Taylor, Roy Mayorga, Satchel, Christian Martucci, Jason Christopher*
- âStraight Through The Heartâ â Halestorm*
- âStarstruckâ â Motörhead with Biff Byford*
- âThe Temple Of The Kingâ â Scorpions*
- âEgypt (The Chains Are On)â â Doro
- âHoly Diverâ â Killswitch Engage
- âCatch The Rainbowâ â Glenn Hughes, Simon Wright, Craig Goldy, Rudy Sarzo, Scott Warren*
- âIâ â Oni Logan, Jimmy Bain, Rowan Robertson, Brian Tichy*
- âMan On The Silver Mountainâ â Rob Halford, Vinny Appice, Doug Aldrich, Jeff Pilson, Scott Warren*
- âRonnie Rising Medley (Featuring A Light In The Black, Tarot Woman, Stargazer, Kill The King)â â Metallica*
- âThis Is Your Lifeâ â Dio
- Previously unreleased
To connect with us for press inquiries and additional information, please contact Adrenaline PR and Maria Ferrero at 732-462-4262 or maria@adrenalinepr.com.
To connect with Rhino for label inquiries, please contact Jason Elzy at 818-238-6220 or
jason.elzy@rhino.com.
To connect with the SUAS Cancer Fund, please contact Sharon Weisz at 323-934-2700 or
w3pr@yahoo.com.
About The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund
The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund is a privately funded 501(c)(3) charity organization which has already raised more than $600,000 in its short history. Monies raised to date have been committed to the cancer research work of the T. J. Martell Foundation for Cancer, AIDS and Leukemia Research and the gastric cancer research unit of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where Ronnie was treated for gastric cancer during the last six months of his life.
