10 Things You Didn’t Know about Wendy Dio

When most people hear the name Dio, they probably think of the late heavy metal rocker Ronnie James Dio, who sadly died of cancer in 2010. However, there is another Dio that you should be aware of. Her name is Wendy Dio. Not only was she married to the rocker until his death, but she was also his manager. An intensely interesting person in her own right, there are many things you may want to know about her. Below are 10 of the things you’re likely to find surprising about the widow of the late heavy metal rocker.

1. She’s largely responsible for writing her husband’s Memoirs

Ronnie James Dio started writing his Memoirs long before his death, but they weren’t ready for publication. When he was diagnosed with cancer, the project was, understandably, put on the back burner. While Ronnie was always convinced that he would someday return to performing, Wendy Dio was the person who stayed by his side through thick and thin. When he died, she took it upon herself to see that his Memoirs were published, something that she has now seen come to fruition.

2. Her marriage was, in many ways, a love story

Make no mistake, her marriage wasn’t always a happy one. She has said herself that she and her late husband used to fight, usually about something related to his work. She says that the two of them would often go toe-to-toe about different things, even to the point of separating on more than one occasion. However, she also talks about how much the two of them genuinely loved one another. She says that they both wanted their marriage to work, so they both put in the effort to make it so despite his career as a rock music star.

3. She thought her husband was too short when they first met

She has always said that she tends to be more attracted to taller men. When she first met her late husband, she recalls that her first reaction was thinking that he was too short for her to be attracted to him. Clearly, it’s something that she eventually got over.

4. She spent time working at Decca Records when she was young

She says that when she looks back on things, she realizes that it might not be so accurate to say that she worked for them. What she did do was spend time there as an intern. The job paid next to nothing and they had her running around like crazy, but she says it was ultimately a good experience. Furthermore, it was something that she used to her advantage years later when she became her husband’s manager.

5. She has an adventurous spirit

She likes to live life to the fullest, something evidenced by the fact that she has always been up for anything. She talks about how she didn’t always have a clear path put in front of her, but she made her own way. She accomplished that by taking risks where others were afraid to go. She didn’t always know what the outcomes would be, but she had faith that things would ultimately work out in the end.

6. She doesn’t tend to back out of things when the going gets tough

As you might have guessed by now, she tends to stick things out, even when everyone else might have chosen to jump ship. She has always known what she wants out of life and she’s always been determined to get it, even if it means going through some tough times in the process.

7. She’s not one to lose hope easily

One of the things that has helped her throughout years in the music business is the fact that she holds onto hope long after many would have abandoned all thoughts of it. She says that this was the hope that got her through her husband’s illness and death, not to mention a whole host of other challenges that have presented themselves throughout her life.

8. She naturally gravitates toward a positive attitude

In addition to holding onto hope, she says that she has always had a naturally positive attitude. This is something that has been a huge benefit to her as she worked in the music industry. She says that her positive attitude has allowed her to see beyond challenges whenever they would arise. She could see the possibilities laid out before her, even when things weren’t always going her way.

9. She’s not afraid to stand her ground

If you’re going to succeed in the music business, you have to learn to stand your ground, something that she has echoed a number of times throughout the years. When she was managing her husband’s career, she had to learn to stand up to other managers who would try and run over her in order to get a shot at managing him. She has also been forced to stand up to others who have tried to capitalize on her success over the years. She says that you should always be kind, but don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself when you need to. According to her, you’ll end up allowing people to control every aspect of your life if you don’t learn to stand up.

10. She tells it like it is

As part of learning to stand up for herself, she has also learned to be brutally honest. There have been times when she felt that she had no other recourse but to go nose-to-nose with someone, usually a person who had started a rumor about her or her husband. If she gets backed into a corner, she says that she will come out fighting. She doesn’t like to do it, but she says she learned the hard way that it isn’t always best to remain silent. She says that sometimes, you have to choose between allowing something to go on for far too long or sticking your neck out in order to put a stop to rumors and lies. She says that the key is learning how to walk the fine line between the two.