Just weeks after performing a farewell concert in his hometown, Ozzy Osbourne has passed away.
The rock legend was 76 years old.
News of his death comes courtesy of a statement from Osbourne’s family:
Osbourne died ‘surrounded by love,’ family says
“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,” the statement reads.
“We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
Osbourne’s death comes at the end of an epic career that spanned nearly sixty years, beginning in ending in his native Birmingham, England.
On July 5, Ozzy was joined onstage by his original band, Black Sabbath, to play one last show in front of 40,000 adoring fans.
The occasion was meaningful for multiple reasons, as Ozzy’s daughter Kelly Osbourne got engaged to longtime boyfriend Sid Wilson when he popped the question backstage.
The ailing singer performed while seated in a black leather throne, and while he had been fairly candid about battling various health issues, the severity of his condition was unknown to the public.
Osbourne battled numerous health issues in his final years
While no official cause of death has been revealed, Osbourne had been battling Parkinson’s disease and numerous other ailments in recent years.
“He’s very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this,” his wife, Sharon Osbourne, told The Sun ahead of Black Sabbath’s farewell concert.
“Parkinson’s is a progressive disease. It’s not something you can stabilize. It affects different parts of the body and it’s affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it’s ever been,” she added.
Osbourne underwent numerous major medical procedures in recent years, including a 2023 spinal surgery to repair damage caused by a fall he’d suffered four years prior.
A rock legend leaves a lasting legacy
The importance of Osbourne’s legacy in the world of rock music truly cannot be overstated.
Both as the lead singer of Black Sabbath and as a solo artist, Osbourne was a pioneering figure, who is widely credited as one of the founders of the heavy metal genre — though he never cared for that label himself.
“When you get pigeonholed with a certain [genre], it can be very difficult to do something a bit lighter or an acoustic track or whatever you want to do,” Osbourne told Spin magazine last year.
“Back in the day, it was always just rock music. It’s still just rock music.”
Our thoughts go out to Ozzy’s loved ones during this enormously difficult time.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.