Ozzy Osbourne, Godfather of Heavy Metal, Dies at 76

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Legendary heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, who first gained fame in the early ’70s as part of Black Sabbath and later built an impressive solo music career, as well as appearing on reality television shows, passed away at the age of 76.

With deeper sorrow than words can express, we regretfully announce that Ozzy Osbourne, whom we cherish deeply, has sadly passed away this morning. His family confirmed the news to the BBC. He was surrounded by his loved ones during his final moments. At this time of grief, we ask for everyone’s understanding and respect for our family’s privacy.

His passing transpired only a few weeks following his last performance in Birmingham, England, where he reunited with Black Sabbath and shared the stage with an illustrious lineup that included Metallica, Guns n’ Roses, Steven Tyler, among others.

Ozzy Osbourne is recognized as one of the most impactful musicians of his era, playing a crucial role in shaping heavy metal music. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a Black Sabbath member in 2006, he was later honored again as a solo artist in 2024. With over 100 million records sold globally, he has also been enshrined in the U.K. Music Hall of Fame, both for his individual work and his band contributions.

On December 3, 1948, Ozzy Osbourne was born in Aston, West Midlands, U.K., to a father who worked as a toolmaker and a mother who worked in a factory. He had three older sisters and two younger brothers. The nickname “Ozzy” has been with him since his school days, while his rise to global stardom earned him the moniker “the prince of darkness.

At 14 years old, he was magnetically drawn to the school stage, where his fascination with The Beatles ignited. Specifically, the song “She Loves You” fueled his ambition to become a musician himself. However, his educational journey ended at 15 when he decided to pursue work in construction. Over the years, he took on various roles such as a plumber, car factory horn-tuner, and an apprentice tool-maker. Unfortunately, his youth was marked by a string of minor crimes, culminating in a six-week prison sentence for shoplifting and failing to pay the fine for the crime.

In 1967, Geezer Butler established the band Rare Breed, bringing Ozzy Osbourne on board as vocalist. However, they disbanded after just two performances. Later, Butler, Osbourne, Tony Iommi (from Mythology), and Bill Ward reunited in Polka Tulk Blues. They changed their name to Earth and then Black Sabbath in August 1969, inspired by an Italian-French horror film starring Boris Karloff from 1963. The band’s sound was characterized by its dark and somber tone. Butler’s nighttime vision of a shadowy figure at the end of his bed served as the inspiration for Black Sabbath’s namesake track.

As a diehard fan, I can’t help but marvel at the thunderous riffs of Tony Iommi’s guitar, the chilling lyrics penned by Geezer Butler, the ominous drum beats of Bill Ward, and Ozzy Osbourne’s spine-tingling vocal prowess. Our band’s self-titled debut and the iconic album, Paranoid, were both massive hits during this period. It was around this time that I had the fortune of crossing paths with my future wife, Sharon Arden. This encounter eventually led to bringing her father, Don Arden, on board as our manager.

In July of 1971, the album titled “Master of Reality” was unveiled, and it is commonly recognized as the cornerstone for both stoner rock and sludge metal genres. This album sold over two million copies, making it Black Sabbath’s only Top 10 U.S. album until 2013’s “13.” Unfortunately, Ozzy Osbourne struggled with substance abuse issues, including a troubled marriage to Thelma Riley that resulted in a daughter named Jessica and a son named Louis.

In November 1973, “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” was unveiled, praised by Rolling Stone as a captivating masterpiece, “an overwhelming success in every aspect.” Following this, “Sabotage” was released in July 1975, and “Technical Ecstasy” followed in September 1976. However, the band’s positive reception started to dwindle, with critics commenting that they were disintegrating at an alarming pace, as per Allmusic.

In 1979, Ozzy Osbourne departed the band to start his own solo venture, titled “Blizzard of Ozz,” but he returned to Sabbath within three months to collaborate on “Never Say Die.” Unfortunately, their subsequent tour didn’t generate much enthusiasm. Ozzy’s last performance with Sabbath was on December 11, 1978, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Later, when they returned to the studio, Iommi frequently adjusted Osbourne’s vocals, eventually leading to his dismissal from Black Sabbath in April 1979. He was then replaced by Ronnie James Dio from Rainbow.

Back in the day, I found myself signed to Don Arden’s Jet Records. My manager at the time was none other than Sharon Arden, Don’s daughter, based in sunny Los Angeles. On July 4, 1982, we tied the knot. For the new phase of my band, we brought on board Uriah Heep’s drummer Lee Kerslake, Rainbow’s bassist/lyricist Bob Daisley, keyboardist Don Airey, and Quiet Riot’s guitarist Randy Rhoads. Our first album, simply titled after our band, was a massive hit, selling over four million copies by 1997, achieving multi-platinum status.

Ozzy Osbourne’s second album, titled “Diary Of A Madman,” solidified Randy Rhoads as a shining solo star. Notable tracks include “Over The Mountain” and “Flying High Again.” Later on, Tommy Aldridge took over drumming duties from Kerslake, and Rudy Sarzo replaced Daisley on bass. Sadly, Rhoads perished in a plane crash in March 1982, during a low fly-by over the tour bus. This unfortunate incident also claimed the lives of the pilot (Andrew Aycock, who was driving the band’s tour bus) and costume/make-up designer Rachel Youngblood.

After the tour restarted, Bernie Torme took over for Rhoads, and later was replaced by Brad Gillis from Night Ranger. This led to the 1982 live album titled “Speak Of The Devil“. In 1983, Jake E. Lee, who had previously played with Ratt and Rough Cutt, joined the band for “Bark At The Moon“. The title track became a hit among fans, contributing to the album’s success in achieving gold status, and ultimately selling over three million copies in the U.S. In 1986, another successful double-platinum album followed called “The Ultimate Sin” .

Jake E. Lee temporarily left the band in 1987 due to Ozzy’s ongoing battle with addiction. However, he made a brief appearance in the movie “The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years”. During this time, Ozzy found another talented guitarist, Zakk Wylde, for his album “No Rest For The Wicked”, and they embarked on a tour together. This tour marked Ozzy’s reunion with bassist Geezer Butler. In 1988, Ozzy collaborated with Lita Ford on the song “Close My Eyes Forever”, which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In the ’90s, Osbourne continued his commercial triumph, releasing albums such as “No More Tears” in 1991, which made him a familiar face on MTV with hits like “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” Osbourne was honored with a Grammy Award for the Best Metal Performance for “I Don’t Want To Change The World,” a song from “Live & Loud” in 1993. This album went four times platinum and reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Rock chart that year.

In 1995, Osbourne unveiled his album titled “Ozzmosis” and embarked on “The Retirement Sucks Tour.” The record climbed to the fourth spot on the Billboard 200 chart, achieving double platinum status. Notable tracks from this release include “Perry Mason,” “Ghost Behind My Eyes,” “Thunder Underground,” and the power ballad “See You On The Other Side.” The band featured Zakk Wylde, Geezer Butler, Steve Vai, and drummer Deen Castronovo. Keyboard contributions came from Yes’ Rick Wakeman and producer Michael Beinhorn.

In the mid-90s, I was part of a groundbreaking moment in heavy metal history when Ozzy and Sharon unveiled Ozzfest back in October 1996, right here in Phoenix. This festival became a beacon for both classic and emerging heavy metal acts, raking in over $100 million. Fast forward to 2005, MTV launched the competition reality show, Battle For Ozzfest, inspired by its success. This series took us on a journey through the highs and lows of various bands vying for a chance to perform at this iconic festival. The buzz around Ozzfest didn’t stop there; it had already created a wave with the reality-TV show, The Osbournes. This show offered an unprecedented glimpse into the lives of Ozzy, Sharon, Kelly, and Jack, transforming them from familiar faces to household names during its run from 2002 to 2005.

In 2001, Ozzy’s solo album titled “Down To Earth” also achieved platinum status, boasting the Billboard Top 10 Mainstream Rock chart-topper, “Dreamer.” January 2003 saw the Osbourne family graciously hosting the 30th edition of the American Music Awards.

In December 2003, Ozzy suffered severe injuries in an accident involving an all-terrain vehicle that fractured his collarbone, eight ribs, and a vertebra in his neck. During his recovery period, he achieved his first U.K. No.1 single by teaming up with his daughter Kelly on a rendition of the Black Sabbath ballad “Changes.

Starting from May 22, 2007, Ozzy Osbourne’s albums “Black Rain,” “Scream” (released in April 2010), and the CD/DVD compilation titled “Memoirs Of A Madman” (from 2014) were all released. This collection marked a celebration of his entire solo career. His autobiography, “I Am Ozzy,” was published in 2009 and reached No. 2 on the New York Times best-seller list. A documentary film about Ozzy’s life and career, titled “God Bless Ozzy Osbourne,” premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2011. This movie was produced by Ozzy’s son Jack and later released on DVD.

In the year 2011, the iconic club Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood was the stage for a Black Sabbath reunion announcement featuring the original lineup. However, due to a contract dispute, Brad Wilk of Rage Against The Machine took Bill Ward’s place on drums. In May 2012, they performed at the 02 Academy in their birthplace, Birmingham, U.K., and exactly a year later, in June 2013, they released an album titled “13“. This album was produced by Rick Rubin and made its debut as No. 1 on both the U.K. and Billboard 200 album charts.

Last month, I attended an unforgettable concert, the Back to the Beginning Show in Birmingham, UK, where Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath graced the stage one last time. In that hallowed venue, the embodiment of darkness took his throne for the final performance, belting out classics such as “Crazy Train,” “Iron Man,” and “Mama, I’m Coming Home.

Osbourne leaves behind his spouse Sharon, daughters Aimee and Kelly, son Jack, a son named Louis John (from a previous relationship), his adopted sons Elliot Kingsley and Jessica Starshine (whom he also parented). This family structure includes a marriage to Thelma Riley in the past.

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2025-07-22 21:25