The long-awaited autobiography by one of heavy metal’s most revered icons, treasured vocalists, and frontman for three legendary bands—Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and Dio.

Prior to his tragic death in 2010, Ronnie James Dio had been writing his autobiography, looking back on the remarkable life that led him from his hometown in upstate New York to the biggest stages in the world, including the arena that represented the pinnacle of success to him—Madison Square Garden, where this book begins and ends.

As Ronnie contemplates the achievement of a dream, he reflects on the key aspects that coalesced into this moment—the close gang of friends that gave him his start in music, playing parties, bars, frats, and clubs; the sudden transition that moved him to the microphone and changed his life forever; the luck that led to the birth of Rainbow and a productive but difficult collaboration with Ritchie Blackmore; the chance meeting that made him the second singer of Black Sabbath, taking them to new levels of success; the surprisingly tender story behind the birth of the Devil Horns, the lasting symbol of heavy metal; his marriage to Wendy, which stabilized his life, and the huge bet they placed together to launch the most successful endeavor of his career…his own band, Dio.

Everything is described in great detail and in the frankest terms, from his fallout with Blackmore, to the drugs that derailed the resurrection of Black Sabbath, to the personality clashes that frayed each band.

Written with longtime friend of thirty years and esteemed music writer, Mick Wall, who took up the mantle after Ronnie’s passing, Rainbow In The Dark is a frank, startling, often hilarious, sometimes sad testament to dedication and ambition, filled with moving coming-of-age tales, glorious stories of excess, and candid recollections of what really happened backstage at the hotel, in the studio, and back home behind closed doors far away from the road.

Rainbow In The Dark: The Autobiography will be released on July 27 via Permuted Press. Go to the publisher's official website here to purchase.

Ronnie James Dio's widow and manager Wendy Dio recently recently spoke with WSOU and offered an update and some details on the documentary about Ronnie's life and career that has been in the works for quite some time. As this is a fully authorized production, BMG is financing the film.

Ronnie James Dio passed away on May 16, 2010 at the age of 67 following a battle with stomach cancer.

Wendy: "It will go from Ronnie's childhood all the way through. I think they interviewed Jack Black, and I think they interviewed all of Ronnie's bandmembers and Doug Aldrich and, I think, Jeff Pilson. They were getting ready to go to Arizona to interview Rob Halford and Lita Ford, and then they were going into England to interview Tony Iommi. They already did Geezer (Butler). So there will be very interesting stories from different people. We were hoping it would come out early '21. I think it will come out in '21, but I'm not sure exactly when now because of the hold-up (pandemic). It depends on when they can go back to work."

Top photo by PG Brunelli