Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath frontman, dies aged 76
Ozzy Osbourne at his farewell concert at Villa Park, Birmingham, earlier this month - Ross Halfin
Osbourne died on Tuesday morning, his family said in a statement. He died only weeks after the band had performed their Back to the Beginning farewell gig in Birmingham.
His family said: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning.
“He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.
“Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.”
Kelly, Ozzy, Sharon and Jack Osbourne at the 56th Grammy awards in Los Angeles in 2014 - Kevin Mazur/WireImage
Osbourne was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2019, the same year that he had a fall that left him suffering nerve damage and needing surgery to his neck. He also suffered two bouts of pneumonia.
He spoke publicly about his diagnosis the following year, but said he had suspected for years that his shuffling gait and tremor were signs of the disease.
In an interview with The Telegraph in 2020, he expressed amazement that he had reached his 70s given the wild life that he had led, saying: “I ain’t done so bad. At the end of the day I’ve had a great life.”
Ozzy Osbourne was a leading figure in the world of rock music
On July 5, at the farewell concert at Aston Villa’s Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, he sat on a black throne festooned with a bat. Despite his frailty, he performed five songs with his solo band and four with Black Sabbath at the celebration of his career.
Osbourne grew up in Birmingham and founded Black Sabbath in 1968. He left in 1979 to pursue a solo career.
His wife, Sharon, said when the concert was announced that he had been determined to say a proper goodbye to his fans. “This is his full stop,” she said.
It was an emotional gig, with Osbourne telling fans: “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, who were married in 1982 - Dave Hogan/Getty Images
He and his fellow original Black Sabbath members – Tony Iommi, Terence “Geezer” Butler and Bill Ward – were the last to appear on stage. The event was said to have raised £140m for charity.
Aston Villa paid tribute on social media in a post that read: “Growing up in Aston, not far from Villa Park, Ozzy always held a special connection to the club and the community he came from.
“The thoughts of everyone at Aston Villa are with his wife Sharon, his family, friends, and countless fans at this extremely difficult time. Rest in peace, Ozzy.”
Ozzy Osborne getting his teeth pecked by his pet parakeet in California in 1997 - Eddie Sanderson
Some of music’s leading voices took to social media to pay tribute to the Prince of Darkness, with Sir Elton John describing him as a “huge trailblazer”.
He posted on Instagram: “So sad to hear the news of Ozzy Osbourne passing away. He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend.
“He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love. Elton xx.”
David Coverdale, who founded the rock band Whitesnake and was once considered for Black Sabbath frontman wrote: “My Sincere Condolences To Sharon, The Family, Friends & Fans.”
Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood posted on X: “I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne. What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham.”
Sir Rod Stewart wrote on Instagram: “Bye, Bye Ozzy. Sleep well, my friend. I’ll see you up there – later rather than sooner.”
Alan Edwards, the founder of public relations company The Outside Organisation, which worked with Osbourne on one of his albums, told The Telegraph: “Ozzy was an absolute gentleman to deal with. I once went to his house to discuss an album he’d made about Rasputin.
“He started reminiscing about coming down to London to record Black Sabbath’s first album, which they completed in a day. Think he said they got paid 30 bob for it. He really belied his scary image and was the most relaxed and nice man to be around.”
Metallica posted a photo of Osbourne with the band in a dressing room, simply captioned with an emoji of a broken heart.
Osbourne’s wild moments included biting off the head of a bat during a 1982 show after mistaking it for a rubber toy.
In the early 2000s, he and his family gained a new level of fame when they starred in the pioneering reality show The Osbournes on MTV.
The fly-on-the-wall series documented their chaotic lifestyle in Los Angeles and became a worldwide hit.
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