Ozzy Osbourne Dead at 76; Rock Legend Passes After Final Black Sabbath Performance

Family Confirms Passing of “Prince of Darkness”

Legendary heavy metal pioneer Ozzy Osbourne, the iconic frontman of Black Sabbath and later a reality television star, has died. His family confirmed his passing on Tuesday, stating he died surrounded by loved ones. He was 76.

A Final Bow in Birmingham

The news comes shortly after Osbourne reunited with his Black Sabbath bandmates—bassist Geezer Butler, drummer Bill Ward, and guitarist Tony Iommi—for a concert event titled “Back to the Beginning” in their hometown of Birmingham, England. This marked Black Sabbath’s first performance in two decades and was billed as Osbourne‘s “final bow.”

In a statement, Osbourne‘s family shared,

“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.”

—The Osbourne Family

Details regarding the cause of death have not yet been released.

From Aston to Global Stardom

Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Birmingham, Osbourne’s early life included various jobs before he turned to music. Inspired by The Beatles, he formed a band that eventually became Black Sabbath in 1969. The band’s name was chosen to capitalize on audiences seeking thrills, as Butler explained to Rolling Stone, likening it to paying for fear at the movies.

Their debut album, recorded in just two days, set the stage for a sound characterized by its heavy, gloomy riffs and the use of the tritone, an interval associated with the devil. Their 1970 album, “Paranoid,” propelled them to number one on the UK charts, a position they wouldn’t reclaim until 2013’s “13.”

The Prince of Darkness and Reality TV Icon

Osbourne, often dubbed the “Godfather of Heavy Metal” but preferring “The Prince of Darkness,” was known for his wild stage antics, including the infamous 1982 incident where he bit the head off a bat he mistook for a rubber toy. His struggles with addiction, both alcohol and drugs, were well-documented throughout his career, leading to his dismissal from Black Sabbath in 1979. He then embarked on a successful solo career before rejoining the band in 1997.

In his later career, Osbourne found a new audience through the hit reality television show “The Osbournes,” which offered a candid glimpse into his family life and became a cultural phenomenon, influencing subsequent docu-series like “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” The show earned a Primetime Emmy in 2002.

Goodbye dear friend- thanks for all those years- we had some great fun. 4 kids from Aston- who’d have thought, eh? So glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston.

— Geezer Butler (@iamgeezerbutler) November 27, 2023

I can’t really find the words, there won’t ever be another like him. Geezer, Bill and myself have lost our brother.

— Tony Iommi (@tonyiommi) November 27, 2023

Health Battles and a Fond Farewell

In recent years, Osbourne faced significant health challenges, including pneumonia, a severe fall at his Los Angeles home, and multiple surgeries. He publicly revealed his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in January 2020. Despite these setbacks, he continued to perform intermittently, including at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

In a 2023 interview with Rolling Stone, Osbourne expressed a desire to perform one final show to thank his fans. “If I can’t continue doing shows on a regular basis, I just want to be well enough to do one show where I can say, ‘Hi guys, thanks so much for my life,’” he stated. He had previously announced the end of his touring career due to his physical condition, acknowledging the difficulty of this decision: “At the start of my illness, when I stopped touring, I was really pissed off with myself, the doctors, and the world. But as time has gone on, I’ve just gone, ‘Well, maybe I’ve just got to accept that fact.’”

Osbourne‘s impact on music is undeniable; Black Sabbath’s sound laid the groundwork for heavy metal. His career garnered multiple Grammy Awards, both with the band and for his solo work, and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon Osbourne, and their children Jack, Kelly, and Aimee, as well as three children from his first marriage to Thelma Mayfair.