The metal world lost one of its greatest singers and ambassadors when Ronnie James Dio lost his battle with stomach cancer on May 16, 2010. His fifty plus year musical career included stints in Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and others. Dio's passing leaves an enormous void in metal, and he will be greatly missed and fondly remembered. Countless musicians have posted tributes and memories, and some of them are included here.

In some cases, only part of their statement is printed here, and you can click on the links for the full text.

Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath:
"I’ve been in total shock. I just can’t believe he’s gone. Ronnie was one of the nicest people you could ever meet, we had some fantastic times together. Ronnie loved what he did, making music and performing on stage. He loved his fans so much. He was a kind man and would put himself out to help others. I can honestly say it’s truly been an honor to play at his side for all these years, his music will live on forever."

Iron Maiden:
"Ronnie was not only an incredibly gifted singer but also a wonderfully warm, intelligent and generous person and this shone through both on and off stage leaving a positive mark on everyone he came into contact with. A longstanding friend of Maiden, we played many shows together over the years and we will all miss him greatly."

Judas Priest:
"We are filled with great sadness at the terrible news about our friend Ronnie James Dio - our condolences and love go to Wendy and Ronnie's family - Ronnie was a wonderful man and will be sorely missed."

Lars Ulrich, Metallica:
"A couple of weeks ago when I heard that you were not going to be able to make it to the Sonisphere shows that we would be sharing this June, I wanted to call you and let you know that I was thinking of you and wish you well, but I kind of pussied out, thinking the last thing you needed in your recovery was feeling obligated to take a phone call from a Danish drummer/fan boy. I wish I'd made that call. We will miss you immensely on the dates, and we will be thinking of you with great admiration and affection during that run. It seemed so right to have you out on tour with the so-called “Big Four” since you obviously were one of the main reasons that the four bands even exist."

Kiss:
"We mourn the tragic passing of the great Ronnie James Dio. In addition to his powerhouse vocal ability, Ronnie was a true gentleman who always emanated great warmth and friendship to us and everyone around him. We will miss him."

David Ellefson, Megadeth:
"He was truly one of the 'good guys' in this business and a consummate pro, someone we can all take a que and learn from. We are all fans of his and he did many great things for Megadeth and its members, starting starting as far back as his Dream Evil North American tour in which we were the support band during the So Far, So Good...So What tour."

Mikael Akerfeldt, Opeth:
"I was fortunate enough to meet him and share a few drinks with him once, and it's a memory I will treasure to the end of my days. He blew my mind, quite honestly. "Thank you, Ronnie James Dio, for everything!"

Queensryche:
"Ronnie James Dio was undoubtedly one of heavy metal's greatest performers and will continue to influence the world of heavy metal forever. He was certainly a very big influence on Queensryche and along the way became a cherished friend too. We will all miss him greatly, but Ronnie will live on every time we raise our metal horns high! The man on the silver mountain will always be our rainbow in the dark."

Mike Portnoy, Dream Theater:
"Rest in peace, Ronnie James Dio... one of the greatest of all time. Looks like Dime, Randy (Rhoads), Cliff [Burton) and Bonzo (John Bonham] just scored the ultimate singer. This is one of the saddest days in metal ever."

Glenn Hughes:
"It is a very sad day today... I have lost a very dear friend. Ronnie was a true Leader of Heavy Metal... an Icon and a Visionary... there will never be another like him. Ronnie gave me wisdom, and showed me great compassion when he was in ELF, all those years ago, when we were on tour together in my time in Deep Purple. He was a beautiful Soul, kind, considerate and a wonderful teacher."

Nikki Sixx, Motley Crue:
"Ronnie was one of the kindest souls I have ever met and his talent was beyond inspirational to so many of us. I still have this image of him standing on stage in front of 100,000 belting out 'Man on the Silver Mountain' and remember the shivers it sent up my spine. He will be missed by all of us."

Arch Enemy:
"Today is an immensely sad day for the Heavy Metal/Hard Rock community as we mourn the loss of one of the most amazing talents in the genre. Ever. A master of his craft and a true gentleman. Funny, smart and witty. He will be much missed by the Arch Enemy camp. Dio's voice will echo in eternity!"

Hatebreed:
"We would like to send our condolences to the family, friends & fans of Ronnie James Dio. A true heavy metal legend and kind soul whose voice will live forever. We are honored to have shared the stage with him."