Watch: Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath Rock Legend, Dead at 76
Ozzy Osbourne had been facing a difficult health journey prior to his death.
The rock legend, who died at age 76 on July 22, previously shared that he had been battling multiple medical issues, including Parkinson’s disease, over the last several years.
“It’s been five years of absolute hell for me and the family,” he shared in 2023 on Piers Morgan Uncensored. “My family has been so supportive. I couldn’t have done it without them. It’s been really a bad scene.”
His son Jack Osbourne explained in the joint interview that while many fans had attributed his father’s health struggles to his Parkinson’s, several of his challenges were actually due to a 2019 neck injury that resulted from a fall—19 years after his first neck injury in 2000 due to a bike crash.
“I just got up and carried on but I had broken my neck, and I carried on working with it,” Ozzy reflected, “and then it just everything came undone.”
And while his conditions required him to step back from performing, the Black Sabbath singer did have the chance to perform one last time less than three weeks prior to his death for a one-night-only show on July 5. Despite concerns, the singer would not let his health stop him from joining bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward.
“It’s tough—I’ve been laid up for such a long time,” he told The Guardian in May. “I’ve been lying on my back doing nothing and the first thing to go is your strength. It’s like starting all over again.”
Ozzy added, “I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up.”
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In February, his wife Sharon Osbourne shared that he had been hoping to perform one last time. Ultimately, the show served as his goodbye.
“He’s so excited about this, about being with the guys again and all his friends. It’s exciting for everyone,” she told the BBC at the time. “Ozzy didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to his friends, to his fans, and he feels there’s no been no full stop. This is his full stop.”
For a look back at Ozzy’s life, read on.
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Before being known as Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward and Tommy Iommi performed under the name Earth.
The heavy metal band members were ready to rock as they posed for this shot.
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Ozzy, born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham, England, in 1948, struggled with school early on. It was his passion for music that ultimately helped him move forward.
“I left school with a little more education than when I first started going,” he told The Associated Press in 2010. “Because of my dyslexia, I couldn’t learn. So, I was teased a lot by one of my sister about not bing able to read. It’s very shameful.”
“If it wasn’t for The Beatles turning me onto music in a big way, I don’t know what I would have done,” he continued. “Music has been the main thing that got me out of the area, the place I was born.”
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In 1968, he and his friends formed Black Sabbath, inspired by the film of the same name, with their self-titled debut album earning major commercial success. In 1971, he married his first wife Thelma Riley, with whom he shared kids Jessica Osbourne, Louis Osbourne and Elliot Kingsley.
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The “Paranoid” singer, donning shiny pants embellished with a snake, embraced the crowd during the band’s set at the California Jam music festival.
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Black Sabbath walked the streets of London in style.
The band performed at the iconic Hammersmith Odeon—now named the Eventim Apollo—in London.
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Tony, Ozzy, Geezer and Bill were all smiles as they showed off their silver recording certification for Technical Ecstasy.
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Ozzy was happy to sink his teeth into a macabre photo shoot. He was fired from Black Sabbath the year before due to his struggles with alcohol and drug abuse.
“Money would be the alcohol and the drugs and I behaved badly,” he said in his documentary Biography: The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne of that time. “That was one of the lowest points of my life.”
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Ozzy—as a solo artist—took the stage at Madison Square Garden for his Diary of a Madman tour, just two days after he infamously bit into a dead bat that was thrown onto the stage, which he believed was fake.
“I just thought it was a rubber bat,” Ozzy said in the documentary, “and I just put it in my mouth and crunched down. I just f–king bit into it, you know, being the f–king clown that I am [and was like], ‘Oh no! It’s real.'”
Later that year, he married his manager, Sharon Arden.
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The “Iron Man” singer, donning his iconic dark eyeliner, posed with a cigarette before a performance in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Ozzy and Sharon welcomed their first child together, Aimee Osbourne.
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Ozzy and Motlëy Crüe’s Vince Neil posed after performing for their Bark at the Moon tour. Ozzy and Sharon welcomed their daughter Kelly Osbourne.
Ozzy and Sharon, who tied the knot in 1982, were in paradise as they vacationed in Brazil. They also welcomed their son, Jack Osbourne.
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Posing for pics before a performance in Chicago on July 13, 1986.
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Ozzy at home with Sharon and their kids Kelly, Jack and Aimee.
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The British star showcased his ’80s rockstar hair for this portrait in his garden in May 1988.
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In August 1989, Ozzy’s band performed at the Moscow Music Peace Festival in Russia.
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The singer proved he was a style icon as he posed in round-rimmed sunglasses and a black and red theatrical military-inspired ensemble.
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Black Sabbath made its mark as the band members left their handprints at the Rock Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.
Ozzy sang his heart out at Terminal 1 in Munich, Germany.
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A portrait of the Osbourne family at their luxury home in Beverly Hills.
Black Sabbath proved their bond was forever as they celebrated 30 years as a band. Ozzy had rejoined one year earlier.
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In 1999, the rocker attended the unveiling of the Ozzy Osbourne Action Figure at McFarlane Toy Showroom in New York City.
The Grammy-winner rocked his signature black leather style at the 2000 Grammy Awards.
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Ozzy and Sharon’s lives were on full display for the past year as they starred in their reality TV show The Osbournes from 2002 until 2005.
Kelly proved she was daddy’s little girl as she attended Black Sabbath’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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Ozzy performed at the Gods of Metal Festival in Milan, Italy.
Ozzy and Sharon attended the premiere of Amy at ArcLight Cinemas in Los Angeles.
One year later, Ozzy and Sharon had taken a break after the latter had cheated on his wife. The couple ultimately reconciled, with Ozzy sharing on Good Morning America that they were “back on track again.”
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer had emphasized that Sharon was, in fact, the One.
“She’s the only one I’ve ever loved in my life,” he said of his wife during his documentary. “I mean, she’s my soulmate.”
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The rock legend was glowing as he announced his No More Tours II: Final World Tour during a press conference.
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Ozzy looked back at his star-studded life, realizing that he had done a lot during his 50-year career.
“I never thought I’d make it this far,” he told Rolling Stone in 2018 while reflecting on his career. “I don’t understand why I’m alive still after the hell-raising days. I guess whoever the man is upstairs, if there even is one, wants me to stick around.”
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