Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary frontman of heavy metal group Black Sabbath, died on Tuesday at the age of 76, his family said, just weeks after he gave an epic farewell concert.
The hell-raising singer, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019, passed away just over a fortnight after playing a final gig before a sold-out crowd in his home city of Birmingham, England.
“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,” said a family statement.
“He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
Tributes poured in for the notorious figure nicknamed the “Prince of Darkness”, who once bit off the head of a bat while on stage.
His original bandmates posted tributes on social media.
Osbourne was instrumental in pioneering heavy metal, an offshoot of hard rock, as Black Sabbath enjoyed substantial commercial success in the 1970s and 1980s after forming in Birmingham in 1968.
Black Sabbath’s eponymous 1970 debut album made the UK top 10 and paved the way for a string of hit records, including their most famous song “Paranoid”.
Black Sabbath went on to sell more than 75 million albums worldwide and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Osbourne was added for a second time last year as a solo artist.
Cox’s Bazar Life Desk/BSS
