RONNIE AND THE RED CAPS
1958 - 1958
Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass / Trumpet
Jack Musci - Saxophone
Nick Pantas - Guitar
Tommy Rogers - Drums / Percussion
...Because the organiser of the show did not like the name: Rumblers. To "rumble" means to fight so the organiser didn't want any scuffle's to arise. So they performed under the name Ronnie and the Redcaps and the name stayed the same until late 1961. Continuing to play dances, halls, and fraternity parties at Cornell University the band kept busy. It is said that the Musicians Union at the time was getting upset because they were requested and play so many events that the "old timers" couldn't get any shows.
1958 - 1958
Billy De Wolf - Vocals
Ronnie James Dio - Backing Vocals / Bass / Trumpet
Jack Musci - Saxophone
Nick Pantas - Guitar
Tommy Rogers - Drums / Percussion
At about this time there was an addition to the band, a vocalist named Billy De Wolf. He is said not to have had an important role in the band because he came and went and wasn't with the band long. In 1958 or 1959 either a member of the band or Jimmy Pantas, Nick Pantas's brother and manager of the band, became friends with somebody who owned a private recording studio in Trumansberg or Trumansville in New York. This is where they recorded their first and only single on the Reb label. Billy was a part of the band when they recorded the single in New York in 1958 or 1959. He is the vocalist on "Lover" on the A-side of the single, and is also credited with writing the song. The song "Conquest" on the B-side of the single is an instrumental written by Nick and Ronnie. Ronnie does play trumpet on this song. Both Ronnie and Jack play pretty good brass on this song. It is unclear how many of these records were pressed but it is certainly under 500 and some sources say 100, even 50 is more accurate. The real recording date and release date is unknown at this time.
1958 - 1958
Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass / Trumpet
Jack Musci - Saxophone
Nick Pantas - Guitar
Tommy Rogers - Drums / Percussion
Shortly after this record Billy De Wolf left the band. Unfortunately Billy is in prison in Southern California, and has been there for more than half his life. This left the band in its original form and more importantly left Ronnie in charge of the band from now on. At this point Ronnie takes over the lead vocals.
1958 - 1960
Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass / Trumpet
Nick Pantas - Guitar
Tommy Rogers - Drums / Percussion
In there freshman year in Collage in Buffalo, Ronnie and Jack were still playing on the weekends. In the fall of 1960 Jack Musci's Father gave him an ultimatum, either quit the band or his father would stop paying for college. In the fall of 1960 Jack Musci left the band. Jack is currently a teacher/administrator in a Cortland area school system.
1960 - 1961
Dick Bottoff - Guitar
Ronnie James Dio - Vocals / Bass
Nick Pantas - Guitar
Tommy Rogers - Drums / Percussion
I joined the band after Jack M. and between Ronnie, Nicki and myself we developed a unique "sound" for our guitars. We were great copy artists with both our instruments and our voices. I sang most of the harmony parts with Ronnie. Nicki and I became close friends during those years. We both were working in a typewriter factory in Groton, NY and playing on the weekends. We became very popular and had to make a decision to go full time and leave our jobs, which we didn't mind doing. It was fraternaty heaven back in the early sixties. We would play 6 jobs on a Cornell homecoming weekend. Some great times for sure.
I was with Ronnie for eight years and after I left played part time with many local bands. I actually left the band becasue I had an opportunity to learn about computers and at that time Ronnie was beginning to lose interest. I'm not exactly sure why but Nicki and I had to almost drag him from his house to play the jobs. I thought it might be time for me to change careers. I don't regret leaving but I think I might have in some ways woke Ronnie up to the fact that his career was stalled and he'd better get motivated.
After Jack left the band it is believed that Dick Bottoff joined the band as a second guitarist. In early 1961 they went into Riposo Studio's to record the second single as the Redcaps. This is the first record that Ronnie went by the name of Ronnie Dio. This would be the only single released by the current Ronnie Dio and the Redcaps line-up. It was released on the Seneca label, the A-side was "An Angel Is Missing" and the B-side was "What'd I Say." Some sources say that the single was released in 1959. This single isn't as rare as the Reb single but still limited quantities were pressed. The exact release date and recording date is unknown but it was probably released in late 1961. After this record they changed their name to Ronnie Dio and the Prophets.╩
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Ronnie James Dio=greatest singer of all time
Legionbass19 7 months ago 4
check out dio.net for a complete Dio discography, extremely informative!
LMTR14 4 months ago