The Ronnie James Dio Mural is a large outdoor artwork at the Hollywood Restaurant, 27 Groton Avenue in Cortland, New York. Completed in 2026, it commemorates singer Ronnie James Dio, who grew up in Cortland and began his musical career in the area decades before becoming one of heavy metal’s most influential vocalists through Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and Heaven & Hell. Painted by muralist Nico Cathcart, the artwork covers the exterior wall on the left side of the restaurant, facing the parking lot.

The project was commissioned by Dio’s cousin and former bandmate David “Rock” Feinstein and his wife Denise. Feinstein played guitar with Dio in Elf during the early 1970s and later became a founding member of The Rods. He has owned and operated the Hollywood Restaurant with his family since 1984, giving the location its own connection to Cortland’s rock history beyond the mural itself. The artwork reflects both Dio’s career and the musical history shared by Dio and Feinstein.

Artist Nico Cathcart has personal ties to the Cortland area and studied art at SUNY Cortland before establishing a career as a professional muralist. She had already completed another large public artwork in downtown Cortland in 2025 that included a subtle reference to Dio through an image of one of his guitars. The Hollywood Restaurant mural followed the next year and places Dio himself at the centre of the composition.

Cortland had already commemorated Dio through Dio Way, a street designation close to his childhood home, as well as annual Dio Day events and a music scholarship in his name. The mural adds a highly visible tribute to his musical legacy in the city where he spent his formative years and first performed professionally. For metal fans, the location also connects directly with David “Rock” Feinstein, Elf and the early Central New York scene from which Dio emerged before beginning his international career.

ADDRESS:
25 Groton Ave, Cortland, NY 13045, USA

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