Tracy Grijalva, known as Tracy G, has shared his reasons for leaving Ronnie James Dio’s band after six years. In a forthcoming interview with Guitar World, Grijalva explains that he was asked to switch from lead guitar to rhythm guitar, which he felt would diminish his creative expression. ‘I played lead for Ronnie for six years, now he asked me to play rhythm. If you take solos from me, then I’m out,’ he stated. Grijalva joined Dio’s band in 1993, following two auditions, and contributed to the albums ‘Strange Highways’ (1993) and ‘Angry Machines’ (1996). He was replaced by Craig Goldy, who had previously played on Dio’s 1987 album ‘Dream Evil.’ Grijalva clarified that he wasn’t personally offended by the decision, noting that it was likely driven by management and label pressure rather than Dio’s preference. He maintained that he and Dio remained on good terms, even calling him during Christmas after leaving to wish him a Merry Christmas, though he never received a response. Grijalva emphasized that his departure was about preserving his artistic identity, not a conflict with Dio. The interview, which will be published in the coming weeks, provides insight into the dynamics of Dio’s band during a period of musical transition in the early 1990s, when the rock landscape was shifting due to the rise of grunge and the decline of hair metal. Grijalva’s perspective highlights the tension between artistic integrity and industry expectations during that era.