The third annual Bowl For Ronnie Celebrity Bowling Tournament, benefiting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (diocancerfund.org), took place on Friday, October 6th, 2017 at Pinz Bowling Center in Studio City, California. This year's event brought in $49,000 for the Dio Cancer Fund, now in its eighth year of raising awareness and much-needed funding for cancer research.  It was attended by a capacity crowd of over 300 rockers, bowling enthusiasts, DIO fans and Dio Cancer Fund supporters, with tickets selling out the day before causing the building to be filled to capacity.

Hosted again by Sirius XM's "Volume" host Eddie Trunk, rock musicians in attendance at the event were former Guns N Roses drummer Steven Adler, Doug Aldrich (Dio), David Alford and Chris Hager of Rough Cutt, Vinny Appice (Dio/Black Sabbath), Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), Ira Black (Lizzy Borden), Ann Boleyn (Hellion), Jimmy Burkhard (Billy Idol), Alex Cane (Richie Ramone), Dino Cazares (Fear Factory), Calico Cooper and Chris Latham of Beasto Blanco, Fred Coury (Cinderella), Robbie Crane and Ricky Warwick of Black Star Riders, Jimmy DeAnda (Lynch Mob/Bullet Boys/Lies, Deceit and Treachery), Mikkey Dee (Scorpions/Motorhead), Phil Demmel (Machine Head), Christine Devine (Fox11 News), Jeff Duncan (Armored Saint/DC4), Matt Duncan, Shawn Duncan and Rowan Robertson of DC4, Dio Disciples members Bjorn Englen, Joe Retta, Scott Warren and Simon Wright, Rock Feinstein (Elf/The Rods), Marc Ferrari (Keel/Cold Sweat), Rita Haney, Sonia Harley, Terry Ilous (Great White), Adam Jones (Tool), Richie Kotzen (Winery Dogs), Bob Kulick, Jordan Mancino (Wovenwar/As I Lay Dying), Johnny Martin (LA Guns), Sean McNabb (Lynch Mob), Tom Morello (Prophets of Rage), Dave "Chili" Moreno (Puddle of Mudd), Marty O'Brien (Lita Ford), Budderside members Colin Reid, Rich Sacco, Michael Stone and Patrick Stone, Roy Z (Halford), Jeff Scott Soto (Sons of Apollo), Mick Sweda (Bullet Boys/Lies, Deceit and Treachery), Shane Tesheart (Lies, Deceit and Treachery), Brian Tichy (Whitesnake), Joey Vera (Armored Saint/Fates Warning), Lonnie Vincent (Bullet Boys/ Lies, Deceit and Treachery), vocalist Chas West, guitarist Brent Woods (Wildside), August Zadra (Dennis DeYoung Band), Ahmet Zappa, who attended with his sister Diva, and actor Star Fields (Sons of Anarchy). Los Angeles' rock radio station KLOS came on board this year to sponsor a team headed by deejays Gary Moore, Frank Kramer and Stew Herrera.

The celebrity team capturing 1st Place this year was sponsored by Round Hill Music Publishing and captained by Marc Ferrari, comprising musicians Rock Feinstein, Fred Coury and Jeff Scott Soto as well as music attorney Mark Abbatista and Tami Lester of Round Hill. 2nd Place in the celebrity category went to the team comprising Chris Latham, Calico Cooper, Chris Hager, Phil Demmel, who brought his own clear bowling ball complete with a skull inside, Bob Kulick and Roy Z.

Last year's champion team, captained by Eddie Trunk, placed third this year. Eddie's team comprised Tom Morello, Doug Aldrich, Brent Woods, Sebastian Bach, and Dan Hayes, who won the online auction for a spot on Eddie's team.

1st Place in the corporate team category went to Rhino Entertainment for the second year in a row. Zappa Entertainment placed 2nd and Metal Blade Records came in 3rd.

Also for the second year in a row, the Dean Schachtel Award-named for the late Dio Cancer Fund board member-for the highest overall bowling score went to Dio Cancer Fund supporter Scott Courtright.

Musician Rock Feinstein, who is Ronnie James Dio's cousin and has now played on the winning celebrity bowling team two years in a row, came in from his home in Cortland, NY to participate. He will head up the new East Coast chapter of the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund and will be planning sister bowling and motorcycle events in 2018 to raise money for the charity. 
 
Jeff Scott Soto, who also played on the winning celebrity team for two years in a row, commented about the event: "It's an absolute honor and privilege to be invited three years in a row to honor the late great Ronnie James Dio, the incredible cause and do it surrounded by peers and fans alike! Always an incredible evening of laughs, love and bowling. I hope to be involved every year as I love and support this cause with every fiber of my being!!"

(Photo by: Craig Newman)

A check for $25,000 was presented to representatives of Dr. David Wong's research team from the Dental Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles where they are developing a non-invasive saliva test for early cancer detection. This brings the total presented to Dr. Wong's project by the Dio Cancer Fund to $100,000. Dio Cancer Fund Medical Director Dr. Sandeep Kapoor announced that the project will be publishing a new study in March which will contain an acknowledgement of the Dio Cancer Fund's support for its research. Dr. Wong believes this simple test will receive FDA approval and become available for medical use within the next two years.