Ozzy Osbourne Dies At Age 76

With his death, the world of rock and roll is bathed in black for one of its most magnetic stars. Black Sabbath front man and popular reality TV star, Ozzy Osbourne, died July 22 at 76 years old. Known around the world as the "Prince of Darkness," Osbourne's mark on music history is as all-encompassing as the heavy metal genre he helped shape.

Heartbreakingly, his relatives confirmed the sad news by releasing a short statement, which read: "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."

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Ozzy's last encore comes a mere 6 weeks after Ozzy's electrifying headlining performance at Villa Park in his hometown of Birmingham, UK, on July 5, 2019. A show that made the 55,000-strong crowd go absolutely crazy and proved just how great Ozzy is and why he has been the undisputed heavy metal solo artist and king of rock and roll for over 5 decades. The performance marked an emotional return to the stage, capping a career spanning more than five decades.

Sharon, as always, the solid rock beside him, talked backstage in an interview earlier this year about the meaning of that final show: "He's so excited about this, being with the guys again and all his friends. It's exciting for everyone." She said that Ozzy felt he was denied a proper opportunity to say farewell to his fans. "This is his full stop." From changing the direction of hard rock in the '70s to 'howling at the moon' in reality TV, the Prince of Darkness shined in his own weird way and has inspired a new generation of fans to keep the party going. He lived loudly, loved widely, and left us a lifetime of songs that will soar and dance in the hearts and minds of those who loved him. Ozzy Osbourne has left us, but his voice, his music, and his enormous personality and national pride will reverberate forever in the minds of everyone who heard him sing.