Rock Legend Ozzy Osbourne Dies at 76

Ozzy Osbourne, the legend of rock and roll, has passed away at the age of 76. Famous for fronting the seminal heavy metal band, Black Sabbath, and leading an extensive solo career, Osbourne just performed the Sabbath's farewell show on July 5. He played alongside the original lineup consisting of Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward.

Black Sabbath

• Osbourne formed the band in Birmingham, England, back in 1968.

• Five of the band’s nine albums were certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The other four were certified gold.

• They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

Solo career

• Osbourne went solo in 1981 after being fired from Black Sabbath in 1979.

• He released 13 albums across 40 years. No More Tears (1991) sold over 3 million copies in the US.

• Across his solo career and Black Sabbath, he has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.

Memorable moments:

• Osbourne was known for raucous and off-putting antics during performances. Two infamous incidents happened in 1982 when he bit the head off a dead bat and urinated on a statue at different shows. He attributed both to extreme intoxication.

• Osbourne created the heavy metal festival Ozzfest in 1996, and it lasted until 2018. Numerous iconic acts played the festival, including Pantera, Linkin Park, System of a Down, Disturbed, and Deftones.

• He also launched the trend of celebrity family reality TV shows by participating in MTV's 2002 program, The Osbournes, with his wife, Sharon, and his children, Jack and Kelly.

• Back to the Beginning, the farewell show Osbourne just played with his former bandmates was the most successful charity event of all time, earning $190 million. Recipients of the funds include Acorns Children's Hospice, Birmingham Children's Hospital, and Cure Parkinson's.

• During the show, Osbourne was unable to stand due to the advanced stage of his Parkinson’s disease, but he said to the crowd: “You've no idea how I feel - thank you from the bottom of my heart."

What they said:

• A statement from his family reads: “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.”

• Ronnie Wood, Rolling Stones guitarist: “I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne. What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham.”

• Elton John: “He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods - a true legend. He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love.”