Ozzy Osbourne, powerful rock front man of Black Sabbath and legendary solo artist, passed away on Tuesday, July 22 at the age of 76. Osbourne’s legacy touched thousands of lives and hundreds of venues, especially those in New York State.
Osbourne passed after complications from more than five years of Parkinson’s Disease. In a statement, his family said he was with his family and surrounded by love in his final moments. Known as the “Prince of Darkness,” Osbourne is noted as a pioneer for the invention of the metal genre starting with his work with Black Sabbath.
In New York State, Osbourne was noted for prolific shows including a stop in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1996, as a part of his worldwide tour before his short-lived “retirement.” While with Black Sabbath, Ozzy played Madison Square Garden seven times and twice as a solo artist.
Several artists playing in New York dedicated their July 22 shows to Osbourne, including Ghost during their sold-out show at Madison Square Garden and The Offspring during their Syracuse show who played riffs of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man,” and Ozzy’s “Crazy Train.”
Social media feeds flooded with posts honoring the inspiring rocker on the day of his passing. Fans shared their favorite moments of Ozzy’s career from the time he bit the head off a real bat to his final performance with a full Black Sabbath reunion two weeks before his death.
Ozzy Osbourne was born in Marston Green, UK in 1948 named John Michael Osbourne. During Osbourne’s childhood, he was harassed and abused by bullies and contemplated suicide in his teenage years. By the time he turned 15, he dropped out of school and started working as a construction site labourer.
In 1969, after three years of jumping from band to band, Osbourne formed Black Sabbath with members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. Within four years of its creation, Black Sabbath released five albums with multiple chart topping albums, several receiving gold or platinum status. The band released hit songs like “Iron Man,” “Paranoid,” and “War Pigs,” all from their sophomore album Paranoid.
Following Sabbath’s breakup, Osbourne went on to start a solo career in 1980 with notable songs like “Crazy Train” and “Mama I’m Coming Home.” Osbourne is a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, inducted in 2006 as a member of Black Sabbath and in 2024 for his solo career.
Ozzy Osbourne made a lasting impact on music will continue to inspire fans for generations and his crazy yet playful energy will always define what it means to be an Ozzy fan. Rest in Peace, Ozzy.
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