16052014 - Elf "Carolina County Ball"

Today marks 4 years since Ronnie James Dio left us for that Rainbow in the Dark, and I celebrate him by checking out what might be the only full album of his that I hadn't already heard. This was Elf's second album, released in 1974, and apart from the guitar player, Steve Edwards, this is the exact same band that would become Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow some years later. Dio's vocals are already unmistakably him, and the songs have more character than on Elf's self titled debut album - although that one also has its highlights. This album actually includes a song called "Rainbow", which, as far as I know, was Ronnie's first musical mention of one of his favorite subjects. Of course it's great, just like anything and everything with his vocals, and I salute him.

To Ronnie - the Man on the Silver Mountain!