Cortland native and international heavy metal icon Ronnie James Dio has been permanently immortalized on the east wall of the Hollywood Restaurant. Dave Feinstein, Dio’s cousin, former bandmate, and Hollywood Restaurant proprietor, recently spoke about the new addition to the building and the long journey to properly honor the late rock legend’s local roots.
Following Dio’s passing in 2010, Feinstein felt a strong pull to commemorate his cousin’s incredible trajectory from local talent to a globally recognized figure in the music world.
“A small-town boy growing up here, making himself an international character in the world of music—I wanted to do something to recognize him,” Feinstein explained.
The push to honor Dio began shortly after his death. In 2011, a committee established an annual $1,000 scholarship for a Cortland High School student pursuing a career in music. The school selects the recipient each year, supporting students entering the music business, performance, or related fields.
While the scholarship was a success, Feinstein wanted a physical landmark. The original vision was a bronze statue.
Feinstein enlisted his good friend and local artist, Jack Kampney, a Syracuse University sculpting graduate, to take on the project. Tragically, Kampney passed away in 2014 before the project could come to fruition. Facing the immense costs of bronze casting and the logistical nightmare of finding a public location, the statue idea was ultimately shelved.
The vision found new life last year when Feinstein crossed paths with Nico Cathcart, a highly acclaimed artist who grew up in nearby Homer. Feinstein introduced himself while Cathcart was painting a mural at the old Cortland Savings Bank on Main Street.
During their conversation about honoring Dio’s legacy, Feinstein offered up the massive east-facing wall of the Hollywood Restaurant, which overlooks the parking lot.
Cathcart immediately agreed. She spent the next year researching, sketching, and refining ideas with Feinstein. Because of upstate New York’s unpredictable weather, she scheduled the painting for the summer and recently completed the massive project.
“She came and she did an incredible job on it,” Feinstein said, noting the thousands of positive comments the restaurant has already received. “Her artwork alone just blows me away… that’s our tribute to Ronnie for the city.”
While discussing the mural, Feinstein also took a moment to clarify a common misconception about his shared musical history with his legendary cousin. Though Feinstein is well-known for his work in the band The Rods, Dio was never a member of that group.
Instead, the two cousins cut their teeth together in the early days of rock and roll. Feinstein’s time playing alongside Dio included a timeline of foundational local bands:
- Ronnie Dio and the Prophets
- The Electric Elves
- The Elves
- Elf
With Elf, the group achieved major success, releasing an international album under Columbia Records and frequently touring with Deep Purple. When the band eventually relocated to Los Angeles, Feinstein decided to step away. Dio, of course, went on to achieve legendary status fronting Rainbow and Black Sabbath.
“It was a good experience for me,” Feinstein reflected on his early days touring with his cousin. “It’s an education that I couldn’t change for anything.”
The Ronnie James Dio mural is now complete and visible on the east side of the Hollywood Restaurant, serving as a larger-than-life tribute to a hometown hero who conquered the world of heavy metal.
Advertisement
Credit: Source link