Birmingham, UK – Ozzy Osbourne and his Black Sabbath bandmates, Terence Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill ward, have been honored with the Freedom of the City, recognizing their significant contributions to Birmingham.
The legendary heavy metal band, which formed in Birmingham in 1968, is widely credited with shaping the genre. The members, initially seeking an escape from factory work, drew inspiration from the city’s industrial heritage, a connection Osbourne maintained throughout his career, keeping his distinct Brummie accent.
Osbourne,the band’s charismatic frontman during their 1970s heyday,was known for his flamboyant stage presence and off-stage antics,frequently enough fueled by substance abuse,earning him the moniker “Prince of Darkness.” Black Sabbath’s self-titled debut album in 1970 achieved UK Top 10 status, launching a series of accomplished albums including “Master of Reality” (1971) and “Vol. 4” (1972). The band went on to become one of the most influential and commercially successful metal acts, with over 75 million albums sold globally.
The band’s final performance, attended by 42,000 fans, took place on July 5th at Villa Park, the home of Aston Villa Football Club. Osbourne, who has faced recent health challenges, including a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in 2019, performed from a black throne.
beyond his work with Black Sabbath, Osbourne also enjoyed a successful solo career. He gained a new generation of fans in the early 2000s through the reality television show “The Osbournes,” were he appeared with his wife Sharon and their children Kelly and Jack.
Fan Evie Mayo reflected on Osbourne’s impact, stating, “I think he really impacted everyone here, especially in Birmingham as well. Now that he’s not here anymore, you can feel the impact of it. He inspired a lot of people and he was a great person.”
