WENDY DIO: By Passing When He Did, RONNIE JAMES DIO 'Went Out On A High Note'

Wendy Dio, widow and longtime manager of Ronnie James Dio, was interviewed on the October 21 edition of "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On keeping Ronnie James Dio's name and music alive:

Wendy: "That was my promise to Ronnie — to keep his music and his memory alive, which I will continue to do until I pass away, and hopefully other people will still continue it. He's been passed almost nine years now, and we still have two and a half million fans on our Facebook. Because Ronnie loved his fans, and they give that love back to him."

On the most important thing about making sure people remember Ronnie James Dio:

Wendy: "Well, not just because he was such a talent and such a great vocalist and songwriter, but also as a humble human being. He was a very special person. He was someone who really enjoyed talking to people, really took interest in what they were saying and who they were, and made people feel very special, whoever they were and wherever they came from."

On what new Ronnie James Dio-related projects are in the works:

Wendy: "Well, I've just signed a deal with BMG, and they're gonna re-release all of the albums that haven't been out for many, many years — actually, since Ronnie passed. And also some special things — some stuff that we have that I have found. I think they're even releasing a picture disc on 'Record [Store] Day.' And in January, they will start re-releasing a lot of Ronnie's material with special live stuff that no one's heard and some other special things — giveaways, all kinds of stuff. So that's something I'm very excited about, and, as I said, trying to keep Ronnie's music and his memory alive."

On how she thinks Ronnie's music and career would have continued had he not died nine years ago:

Wendy: "Well, I think that Ronnie, actually, by passing when he did, went out on a high note. And I think for Ronnie… I don't think he could have been really good with getting old [and] with losing his voice. I think he left the world at his height. He was back with the BLACK SABBATH guys that he loved so much. They were all great friends again, because over the years they had little misgivings and so on. But they were all together — Tony [Iommi] and Geezer [Butler] and Vinny [Appice] — and they were all playing at their very, very best, and he was having such a good time and really enjoying life. And I think that that was the time for him to leave."

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

Wendy appeared on "Whiplash" to promote the fourth annual "Bowl For Ronnie" celebrity bowling party, benefiting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund, which will take place on Thursday, October 25 at PINZ Bowling Center in Studio City, California. The event will be hosted by television and radio personality Eddie Trunk, who is heard on SiriusXM's Volume channel and whose new TV series "TrunkFest" airs on AXS TV.

The "Bowl For Ronnie" will feature a celebrity bowling tournament and a raffle drawing for prizes and memorabilia. Last year's event brought in $49,000 for the cancer charity, which is now in its ninth year of raising awareness and much-needed funding for cancer research.