Katana VentraIP

Tony Iommi

Anthony Frank Iommi Jr.[1] (born 19 February 1948)[2] is an English musician. He co-founded the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and was the band's guitarist, leader, primary composer, and sole continuous member for over five decades. He is considered one of the trailblazers and pioneers of heavy metal music, and is responsible for inspiring numerous subgenres of metal, most notably doom metal. Iommi was ranked number 13 on Rolling Stone's 2023 list of greatest guitarists of all time.[3]

"Iommi" redirects here. For the album, see Iommi (album). For other uses, see Iommi (disambiguation).

Tony Iommi

Anthony Frank Iommi Jr.

(1948-02-19) 19 February 1948
Birmingham, England
  • United Kingdom
  • Italy

Musician

  • Susan Snowdon
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1973; div. 1976)​
  • Melinda Diaz
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1980; div. 1985)​
  • Valery Iommi
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1987; div. 1993)​
  • Maria Sjöholm
    ​
    (m. 2005)​

1

Guitar

1964–present

iommi.com

On his last day of work in a sheet metal factory, as a teenager, Iommi lost the tips of the middle and ring fingers of his right hand in an accident, an event which crucially impacted his playing style. He briefly left Black Sabbath (then known as Earth) in 1968 to join Jethro Tull, but did not record any material with the band, and subsequently returned to Black Sabbath in 1969. In 2000, he released his first solo album Iommi, followed by 2005's Fused, which featured his former bandmate Glenn Hughes. After releasing Fused, he formed Heaven & Hell, which disbanded shortly after the death of Ronnie James Dio in 2010 (they toured on Black Sabbath songs when Dio was in the band but changed the name for legal reasons).


In 2011, Iommi published his autobiography, entitled Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath.

In late 1973, Iommi married Susan Snowdon, to whom he had been introduced by Black Sabbath's then-manager .[50] The song "Fluff", one of Iommi's instrumental compositions later released on the Sabbath Bloody Sabbath album, was played as Snowdon walked down the aisle.[51] Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham was Iommi's best man for the ceremony.[52] The marriage lasted for three years. Iommi said in a 1991 Guitar World interview that the troubled recording and mixing of Black Sabbath's 1976 album Technical Ecstasy contributed to the end of his marriage.

Patrick Meehan

Iommi married American model Melinda Diaz in 1980. They had a daughter, Toni-Marie Iommi, in 1983, who was the vocalist for the now-defunct band LunarMile. Iommi divorced Melinda in the mid-1980s.[54] When Toni-Marie was 12 years old, Iommi won custody of her after she was placed in foster care. Toni-Marie has described her early childhood with a mentally unbalanced mother as difficult but says that her father finally "saved her". She has stated that with her father she was able to regain her trust in other people.[55] Mikko "Linde" Lindström, guitarist with Finnish band HIM, became engaged to Toni-Marie in August 2010.[56] In 2013, the couple were reported to have broken-up.[57]

[53]

In 1986–1987, Iommi met an English woman named Valery, and after a six-year relationship they married. She had a son from a previous relationship named Jay. They divorced in the late 90s. Iommi confirmed in the same Guitar World interview referenced above (a co-interview with Metallica's James Hetfield) that he has a son. He told Hetfield regarding the band's so-called "Black Album", that "my son gave me a copy of your latest album...".

[58]

In 2005, Iommi married Maria Sjöholm, formerly vocalist for Swedish band Drain STH. They met around 1998, when Tony was working on music for Drain STH. After a year of talking on the phone, in 1999, Maria relocated to England and moved into Tony's home. On 19 August 2005, without telling anyone, Maria and Tony married at the Sunset Marquis hotel. On page 312 of his book, Tony calls the low-key wedding the "Best thing I ever did!"[59]

alternative metal

Jaydee Custom SGs

[106]

Official website

at AllMusic

Tony Iommi

discography at Discogs

Tony Iommi