Web: diocancerfund.org
Contact: info@diocancerfund.org
Players: Saints and Sinners; Legs Diamond; Whole Lotta Rosies; Led Zepagain; Dio Disciples; Lita Ford
Rock for Ronnie is an annual fundraising concert for the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund in honor of the late Dio/Black Sabbath/Rainbow vocalist. The 2026 edition delivered an afternoon of quality hard rock under a cloudless Griffith Park sky, augmented with vendors, food trucks, and fundraising auctions and raffles. Rock radio personality Eddie Trunk hosted, often alongside Dio’s widow, Wendy.
Sets by L.A.’s Saints of Sinners and Legs Diamond; long-running local tribute bands Whole Lotta Rosies (AC/DC) and Led Zepagain (duh!); and former industrial-turned-Americana troubadour Jason Charles Miller were all warmly received by a good-natured if rather sparse crowd.
The stars started to come out with Dio Disciples, an “official” Dio tribute with a lineup that rotates around former RJD collaborators. Rock For Ronnie was the debut for a DD incarnation that will tour later this year. Ably subbing for usual drummer Simon Wright was Brian Tichy (Billy Idol, Whitesnake), alongside longtime members Bjorn Englen (Yngwie Malmsteen, Quiet Riot) on bass and Scott Warren (Dio) on keys, Rowan Roberston (Dio) on guitar backing tag-teaming vocalists Robin MacAuley (MacAuley Schenker Group) and Oni Logan (Lynch Mob).
The sheer quality of this lineup was face-slappingly evident, even after just two rehearsals. Logan and debutante MacAuley came as close as anyone will to Dio’s inimitable pipes on the likes of “Last in Line,” “Rainbow in the Dark,” and “Holy Diver.” But what really impressed was Dio Disciples’ palpable joy in performing their old mate’s music in such a worthy setting.
The day’s big draw was “Queen of Rock Guitar” Lita Ford, who never disappoints. The chemistry of her unusually stable band (guitarist/vocalist Patrick Kennison and drummer Bobby Rock have been aboard for over a decade) sets Ford apart among solo acts. In a striking silver jumpsuit that few could pull off at any age, the 67-year-old reminded us of her second-nature stagecraft and storied shredding on faves like “Only Women Bleed,” “Kiss Me Deadly,” and 1988 hit, “Close My Eyes Forever,” on which Kennison deftly covered the late Ozzy Osbourne’s parts.
Lita and her band always bring a welcome throwback attitude of money’s-worth entertainment—including epic solos, inter-band banter, and between-song humor—embroidered on this occasion with apt humility, appreciation, and awe for Ronnie James Dio.
The day closed out with an all-star jam kicked off by former Thin Lizzy frontman Ricky Warwick and his band revisiting Lizzy’s “Cowboy Song” and “Jailbreak,” with current and former members of Anthrax, Machine Head, W.A.S.P., and Dio/Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice also dropping in.
