Ronnie James Dio cancer benefit to recognize former Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi

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Tony Iommi, co-founding guitarist Black Sabbath, will be honored as part of the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund’s second annual awards event, to be held on Halloween (Wednesday, October 31, 2012) in Hollywood. Iommi, who’s battling cancer, was bandmates with the late Dio in Sabbath from 1979–82, 1991–92 and in 2006.

Iommi hasn’t lost a step since his diagnosis, having just completed all 15 guitar tracks for Black Sabbath’s first studio recording with original frontman Ozzy Osbourne since the late 1970s. The group, which performed a series of celebrated reunion shows over the summer, is in the studio with producer Rick Rubin.

Dio, who was also a member of Rainbow, Elf and Sabbath offshoot band Heaven and Hell, died in 2010.

Wednesday’s Stand Up and Shout event will also include a live performance from Dio Disciples, featuring former members of the group Dio — as well as an all-star jam featuring Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple/Black Sabbath/Black Country Communion), Stephen Pearcy (Ratt), Joey Belladonna (Anthrax), and members of Stryper and Buckcherry, among others.

Award presenters will include Geezer Butler, another bandmate of Dio’s in Black Sabbath; Eddie Money, Hughes, Pearcy, Beladonna and David “Rock” Feinstein (Dio’s cousin). Dio Disciples includes Tim “Ripper” Owens (vocals) , Oni Logan (vocals), Craig Goldy (guitar), Bjorn Englen (bass), Scott Warren (keyboards) and Simon Wright (drums).

The Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund has already raised some $500,000, with proceeds going to research work by the T. J. Martell Foundation for Cancer, AIDS and Leukemia Research as well as the gastric cancer research unit of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston — where Dio was treated for gastric cancer during the last six months of his life, according to Wendy Dio, widow of the late singer and Fund President/Founder.

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