Posted by Dio Slave on 1/23/2012 to
Ronnie James Dio

Sharing the stage and performing with legendary frontman Ronnie James
Dio was truly one of the high points of my career in Rock. Having
already been a member of the "Niji Family" for a short while as a member
of BURN, who were under their management roster, and then, directly
afterward, in the studio recording an album and performing with
Arizona’s Surgical Steel, saw me as one of the last rock musicians in
Hollywood who was unavailable for the Hear ‘n Aid recording sessions.
When Dio took the stage at Irvine Meadows, CA during their Sacred Heart
Tour, I was one of several other local rock musicians hanging out
backstage, who were asked to come onstage for an impromptu rendition of
‘We’re Stars’, the theme song of the Hear ‘n Aid sessions. Wendy Dio and
members of the road crew were scurrying around grabbing anyone who was
in a band from the backstage area and herded us all through the
backstage labyrinth of the ‘castle’ stage set. I was led around through
and came out of the castle doorway on Jimmy Bain’s side just under
keyboardist and friend Claude Schnell, who shouted down to me and waved.
I found myself grouped with several members of Poison and London
sharing Jimmy Bain’s mike. The crowd went wild. As we shuffled around
the mike to sing our parts, Ronnie, renowned for his kindness to others,
was kind enough to have gathered up close to me and shared his
microphone- the one with the best mix on it- and he thrust his mike in
my face and shouted ‘SING!” I could hear my voice loud and clear on the
chorus and shocked, in the cacophony of sound that I was dead-on in key!
It was a magic moment I will never forget.
The very next weekend,
Ronnie showed up at the Rough Cutt show at the Reseda CA venue The
Country Club, and again, NIJI Management repeated the same opportunity,
and having found myself at that show as well, was asked again to join
Ronnie onstage and we again were herded from the VIP guest area
backstage and repeated the performance of ‘We’re Stars’, finding Ronnie
again, making eye contact with me and once again pulling me closer to
him and he, pushing his mike to me and encouraging me to ‘SING!”. It was
a genuine privilege and an honor to have Ronnie think so kindly enough
of me, to have me participate with him and all the others there, during
these rare moments in Rock History and my life, I will never forget it.
Although I never had the opportunity to just sit down with the man and
chat about our common interests, we were kindred spirits in our taste
for all things medieval. And as a kindred soul, my only regret is never
having had the opportunity to actually be a member of Ronnie’s band. I
have tried my best to follow in Ronnie’s footsteps and have been
complimented by many as a Graduate of the ‘Ronnie James Dio School of
how to treat your fans.’ Shocked at Ronnie’s passing, and not wanting to
miss his Memorial Service for all the world, again, I (and my wife)
found ourselves saying farewell with our common friends of Ronnie’s
life, to one of the most important souls in Rock History.
Thank you for
this opportunity to share my memory of Ronnie with the world. Rest in
Peace my Mentor.
--Rik Fox, Bassist of WASP, Steeler, SIN, BURN, Surgical Steel