Remembering Dio: Lzzy Hale Recalls Ronnie’s Generosity

May 16, 2015, marks the fifth anniversary of legendary vocalist Ronnie James Dio‘s passing. To pay tribute to Ronnie and his contributions to the metal scene, we sat down with a bunch of today’s biggest names and invited them to share stories and thoughts about Ronnie James Dio.

In this video, Full Metal Jackie sits down for a chat with Halestorm vocalist Lzzy Hale to discuss her experiences with Ronnie. As with many of today's generation of rockers, her love of Dio's music started way before she ever met the man. Lzzy recalls, "My first Ronnie James Dio album that I owned was Holy Diver and then from there I went back into his earlier years and spread out to … I love his Sabbath stuff. I haven't met Ozzy yet and I know he's amazing, but right now, that's my favorite Sabbath. Sorry guys. I love the Dio years."

In addition, Hale recalls a moment early in the band's career where they were called in as a late sub on the final date of a Heaven and Hell tour. She speaks in depth about not only what it was like to open for the man she looked up to, but also the generosity that Dio had not only for Halestorm, but also for the fans who waited around in hopes of meeting the singer after the show. While initially concerned that the rocker put in such long hours even after the show, Hale recalls a finger-wagging moment and a lesson she's remembered to this day.

Check out Lzzy Hale's story in the video above and look out for more 'Remembering Ronnie James Dio' videos from Loudwire. If you're in the L.A. area, find about the memorial activities taking place in honor of Ronnie James Dio this coming weekend (May 15-17) here. And look for Halestorm to rock out at this summer's Loudwire Music Festival, taking place in Grand Junction, Colo.

Remembering Dio: Corey Taylor