The Rock For Ronnie “Year of the Dragon” Concert Celebration, an afternoon of rock music and fun for the entire family, will take place on Sunday, May 19, 11AM to 6PM, at the Lou Bredlow Pavilion at Warner Center Park in Woodland Hills, CA. Headlining the Rock For Ronnie event will be heavy metal veterans Quiet Riot.
Rock For Ronnie will benefit the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org), founded in memory of the late singer who succumbed to gastric cancer in 2010. This year’s Rock For Ronnie will be a General Admission event, free to the public. Radio and television personality Eddie Trunk, who is heard on SiriusXM’s 103 Faction Talk channel, will once again host.
Also on the bill will be Dio Disciples, southern rock band Jason Charles Miller, Billy McNicol, X-COMM and a surprise-filled jam by Eddie Trunk’s All-Star Band. Expected to participate are noted musicians including vocalists/guitarists Lita Ford, Abby Gennett (Slunt), Brett Scallions (Fuel); guitarists Doug Aldrich (Dio, Dead Daisies, Whitesnake), Marc Ferrari (Keel), Tracii Guns (LA Guns), Patrick Kennison (Lita Ford), Robert Sarzo (Hurricane); bass players Martin Anderson (Lita Ford), Julia Lage (Vixen) and Marty O’Brien (Daughtry, Lita Ford); vocalists Dewey Bragg (Kill Devil Hill), Andry Lagiou, Keith Saint John (Montrose, Kingdom Come), Patrick Stone (Budderside), Neil Turbin; keyboard player Dennis Atlas (QRST, Rock the Vault), drummers Ronnie Ciago (BrandX, Circa), Glen Sobel (Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires), Daniel Bermudez (Wilt) and Brian Tichy (Whitesnake) and sax player Scott Page (Pink Floyd, Toto, Supertramp), among others.
Rock icon Lita Ford has arranged with PBS Guitar Builder to the Stars Jim Cara (www.caraguitars.com) to create a one-of-a-kind DIO/Dio Cancer Fund custom guitar, which she will play in her All-Star Band appearance, sign and make available for auction. The DIO logo on this unique instrument lights up.
Cara is recognized for creating some of the most photographed specialty guitars for artists such as Gene Simmons and Ace Frehley of KISS and Brad Gillis of Night Ranger.
In an effort to make full use of the abundant space at this new location, this year’s will be open to all, with on site donations to the 501c3 charity welcomed. There will be ample opportunities to support to the Dio Cancer Fund at the Rock For Ronnie via a silent auction and raffle, beverage, food and merchandise sales, artist meet and greets, a specially-created Garden of Hope to pay tribute to cancer warriors and, of course, direct contributions on site. To RSVP and/or make a donation, visit diocancerfund.org/events.
There will also be food trucks and assorted vendor booths selling unusual crafts and other items to round out an afternoon of live music and fun for the entire family and open to everyone. Sponsors for this year’s Rock For Ronnie include the Rainbow Bar & Grill, The Ivy in Ojai, Christine Cardoso-Moore/Keller Williams Realty, McBride Wealth Management, Danny Wimmer Presents, Liquid Death, HOP WTR, Marquis Sugar Free Mate Beverages, Austin Eastciders Cider Beverages, Lattini Sunflower Milk, Smart & Final, Delorio Foods, Big Noise Beer and BevNOMAD beverage product distributors.
Ronnie James Dio’s love of dragons and their association with his on stage persona will also be reflected in the events’ “Year of the Dragon” designation, a nod to this year on the Chinese calendar.
