An iconic rock star known as the “Prince of Darkness” is dead at age 76.
Ozzy Osbourne died Tuesday, according a statement from the Osbourne family. A cause of death was not provided, but Osbourne had been suffering from multiple health problems, including Parkinson’s disease.
“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,” the Osbournes said.
Osbourne’s death comes less than three weeks after his final performance with heavy metal group Black Sabbath. The “Back to the Beginning” concert featured an all-star lineup and raised a record $190 million for charity.
“I’ve been laid up for six years, and you’ve got no idea how I feel,” Osbourne told the crowd that night. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne was the frontman for Black Sabbath, an English heavy metal band best known for 1970s hits like “Iron Man,” “The Wizard” and “Paranoid.” Late Cortland native Ronnie James Dio replaced Osbourne as Black Sabbath’s lead singer in 1979, among other lineup changes over the years, though Osbourne returned to the group in later years.
Black Sabbath was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 and received a Grammys Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. Osbourne was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist thanks to hits like “Crazy Train,” “Bark at the Moon,” “No More Tears” and the Post Malone collaboration “Take What You Want.”
Osbourne, who famously bit the head off a dead bat at a 1982 concert, earned a new generation of fans when he starred on the 2000s MTV reality show “The Osbournes” with his family. He also had roles in movies and TV shows like “Trolls World Tour,” “Ghostbusters,” “CSI” and “Little Nicky.”
Survivors include his wife, Sharon Osbourne, and six children, including Aimee, Kelly and Jack Osbourne.
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