This is a career-spanning retrospective of Ronnie James Dio, from his beginnings with Elf, Rainbow and Black Sabbath, to his later solo work. Producers include: Ronnie James, Dio, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Martin Birch. Compilation producers: Ronnie James, Dio, Wendy Dio, Dean Schachtel, David McLees. Includes liner notes by Lonn Friend. Personnel: Micky Lee Soule (vocals, piano, Clavinet, organ, Mellotron, keyboards); Ronnie James Dio (vocals); Craig Goldy, Steve Edwards , Rowan Robertson, Ritchie Blackmore, Tony Iommi, Vivian Campbell, David "Rock" Feinstein (guitar); Ray Swinfield (clarinet); Henry Lowther (trumpet); Chris Pyne (trombone); Claude Schnell, Geoff Nicholls , David Stone, Jeff Pilson, Jens Johansson, Jimmy Bain, Tony Carey (keyboards); Gary Driscoll (drums, percussion); Cozy Powell, Simon Wright , Vinny Appice, Bill Ward (drums); Liza Strike, Barry St. John (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Darren Galer; Stephan Wissnet; Martin Birch; Mike Fraser; Nigel Green; Tony Platt. Audio Remasterers: Digi Prep; Daniel Hersch; Bill Inglot. Recording information: Caribou Ranch, Caribou, CO; County Convention Center, San Antonio, TX; Criteria Recording Studios, Miami, FL; Le Chateau Studios, Herouville, France; Musicland Studios, Munich, DE; Nederland, CO; Rumbo Recorders, Canoga Park, CA; Seattle Center Arenea, Seattle, WA; Sound City, Van Nuays, CaRockfield Studios, Monmouth, W; Studio Ferber, Paris, France; Studio One, Atlanta, GA; The Manor Studios, Oxfordshire, England; The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA; The San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, CA; Village West Recorder, West Los Angeles, CAGranny's Hou. Photographers: Ross Marino; Gene Kirkland; Neil Zlozower. With his sword-and-sorcery performances, demonic mascot, and bold vocal stylings, Ronnie James Dio is a classic-metal icon, best known for his own band, Dio, which became one of the genre's most popular acts in the mid-1980s. Whereas the earlier Rhino collection THE VERY BEAST OF DIO focuses only on the group's 1980s and early-'90s outings, the two-disc STAND UP AND SHOUT presents many of those tracks, and also includes the singer's finest recordings with Elf, Rainbow, and, most notably, the post-Ozzy Black Sabbath. STAND UP AND SHOUT opens with three early-'70s tunes by Dio's first group, Elf, and fans may be surprised to find that this blues-rock band had more in common with the Faces (particularly on the piano-driven "Hoochie Koochie Lady") than proto-metal groups like Led Zeppelin. Dio's subsequent work with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow makes a sizeable leap towards a heavy sound (especially the mystical "Man on the Silver Mountain"), but it is his early-'80s stint with Sabbath that truly solidifies his allegiance to metal (see the blistering "Neon Knights"). The entire second disc of this well-selected anthology is dedicated to Dio's eponymous ensemble, and features riff-laden, fantasy-imbued anthems such as "Holy Diver" and "Rainbow in the Dark," rounding out a peerless overview of Ronnie James Dio's best moments.

• Genre: Pop
• Format: CD
• Released: 5/27/2003