“It’s wonderful passing on anything about Darrell to fans old and new. He was an incredible person”: How Rita Haney, Dimebag’s soulmate and partner in crime, keeps the late guitarist's memory burning more brightly than ever

As most longtime Dimebag devotees know, Rita Haney (aka “DimebagzHag” – her word, not mine!) was Darrell’s longtime soulmate and partner in crime. Since Dime was so tragically and senselessly taken in 2004, Haney has dedicated her time, energy, and passion to keeping the flame of his memory and legacy burning brightly.

Haney has been at the epicenter of Dime Hardware – the official online Dimebag Darrell merchandise shop – and the hugely popular (and annual) Dimebash and Ride for Dime charity events.

She’s also the driving force behind the recent release of the Dime Signature Warhead mini amp and Blacktooth Beverages, makers of the Dime-branded 7-Year American Rye Whiskey and other concoctions. And there are more official Dimebag offerings pending, including the much-talked-about line of Dimebag Guitarz.

If that’s not enough, Haney and her crew have been omnipresent at the popular Dimebag Hardware booth at major rock festivals for the past 15 years.

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What drives you to keep Dime’s memory alive?

“For one, I think it’s easy to love Dime, and that’s the one thing I know I’m good at! And two, because of everything he did for me and what an incredible life he gave me. There were so many things he wrote down, designed, and recorded about what he wanted to accomplish; I have all that, and I don’t just want to let them sit there and go away. I want him to still be able to achieve all of his dreams. I think that’s what drives me.

“Plus, I fucking love it! I love being surrounded by anything that’s about him – it makes me feel like he’s still always here with me. It’s wonderful passing on anything about Darrell to fans old and new. He was an incredible person, and it’s the best damned job in the world to get to talk about him all day and all night! And it hasn’t slowed down any since we first started doing this; if anything, it feels like it’s increased.”

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“I know it sounds weird, but there was this magic bubble around Dime, and it’s hard to describe how his presence could make you feel. No matter how shitty or boring the place was, his vibe was so alive… and it still is. Having that vibe around you just made you happy, and it still does when I talk or think about him.

“Sometimes the day ain’t going quite like I want it to, but whenever I think of him or do something about him – like this interview [Laughs] – it always puts a smile on my face.

“The key thing is finding that speck of beauty in the ugly. No matter what it is, you can always find something; that was the most valuable life lesson I learned from Darrell, because that’s how he lived his life.”