Black Sabbath lead singer and rock legend Ozzy Osbourne has passed away aged 76, his family announced on July 22.
Born December 3, 1948, in Aston, Birmingham, John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne was known for his historic contributions to heavy metal, both as a member of Black Sabbath and as a solo artist. His family shared the following statement on July 22:
"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 Prince of Darkness never stopped rocking right up until his final weeks. Just this past July 5, Osbourne performed his final show ever, reuniting with Black Sabbath members for a charity concert that raised over $190 million for charity and included guest appearances by rock legends such as Tom Morello (also the event's director), Yungblud, Steven Tyler, and Billy Corgan.
Raising money for the Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice, the charity event held a special place in Ozzy's heart as it was created to help in the fight against Parkinson's, which Osbourne suffered from.
Tributes around social media have already started. The official Metallica X (formerly known as Twitter) account shared an image with band members hanging out with Ozzy Osbourne. Thousands of fans are also mourning the death of the Prince of Darkness.
From everyone here at Epicstream.com, we wish to extend our condolences to the Osbourne family and all fans affected by the tragic passing of a true rock legend.