Ozzy Osbourne Dies at 76 Weeks After Emotional Farewell Show in Birmingham

Ozzy Osbourne, known as the “Prince of Darkness” and one of the biggest names in rock music, has died at 76. His family confirmed the news early this morning, saying he passed away peacefully with his family around him.

In their words, “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.”

Just weeks before his death, Ozzy performed his final concert in his hometown of Birmingham. Thousands of fans gathered for the show, which also featured bands like Metallica and Guns N’ Roses who came to honour him.

Ozzy sat on a black throne as he performed songs like Crazy Train and War Pigs. At one point, he told the crowd, “You have no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Nearly six million fans watched the show live online.

Ozzy’s journey to fame started in Birmingham, where he was born as John Michael Osbourne. He left school at 15 and worked small jobs before spending time in jail for burglary. Not long after, he joined Black Sabbath in the late 1960s.

Alongside Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, Ozzy helped create a new style of music: heavy metal. Their music, inspired by blues but darker and heavier, quickly became famous. Songs like Iron Man and Paranoid made Black Sabbath legendary.

The band’s first album came out in 1970, and they kept releasing hit albums through the 1970s. But in 1978, Ozzy was fired from the band. This didn’t stop him. In 1980, he started a solo career with his first album Blizzard of Ozz, which featured Crazy Train. His next album, Diary of a Madman, sold even more copies.

Ozzy also became known for his wild behaviour. One famous story says he once bit the head off a bat during a live show, thinking it was fake. He also had a serious drug and alcohol problem. Members of Motley Crue once shared a shocking story about him snorting a line of ants in a hotel just to show how crazy he could be.

But in the 1990s, fans saw a softer side of Ozzy through the MTV show The Osbournes. The show showed him at home as a confused but caring dad. His wife Sharon and daughter Kelly also became popular from the show. In 2003, Ozzy and Kelly even sang a duet of the Black Sabbath song Changes, which became a number-one hit.

That same year, Ozzy had a serious accident while riding an ATV, hurting his spine. In 2019, he had another bad fall that made things worse. In 2020, he told fans that he had Parkinson’s disease. After performing at the 2022 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony, he stepped back from touring.

But Ozzy wanted to say goodbye properly. His final show at Villa Park, not far from where he grew up, was his last big moment with his fans. Pantera’s Phil Anselmo spoke during the concert and said, “That’s the truth. I wouldn’t be up here with this microphone in my hand without Black Sabbath. The greatest of all time.”

Ozzy Osbourne’s death marks the end of an era for heavy metal. His music, wild stories, and unforgettable personality have left a mark on millions of fans around the world.

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