Heavy metal star Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76.
The musician died “surrounded by love,” his family said in a statement shared with The Sun on Tuesday. The location of his death was not disclosed.
“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. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.”
The rocker’s death comes just weeks after his farewell concert with Black Sabbath called “Back to the Beginning.” The July 5 event in Birmingham, UK, featured a full day of performances by various artists and marked the end of an era for both Osbourne and the iconic heavy metal band.
Osbourne had Parkinson’s disease and had suffered other health problems in recent years, including complications from injuries received from a fall in 2019. This led to the singer being forced to cancel some shows.
In 2023, Osbourne predicted he had ten years left, “at best,” and expressed a desire to perform at least one more time, despite his ongoing health issues.
“If I can’t continue doing shows on a regular basis, I just want to be well enough to do one show where I can say, ‘Hi guys, thanks so much for my life.’ That’s what I’m working towards, and if I drop down dead at the end of it, I’ll die a happy man,” Osbourne told Rolling Stone UK at the time.
Osbourne was born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Birmingham, England, and received the nickname “Ozzy” in school. He’s considered one of the most iconic figures in heavy metal after rising to fame in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of Black Sabbath.
After being kicked out of Black Sabbath in 1979 due to substance abuse issues, Osbourne launched a successful solo career. This included releasing hits like “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley.” Over the years, he became a well-known figure in pop culture.
Osbourne married Sharon in 1982. The couple has three children: Aimee, 41, Kelly, 40, and Jack, 39. Their lives were documented in the popular MTV reality show “The Osbournes.”