Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne was married to Thelma Riley from 1971 to 1982 and to Sharon Osbourne from July 4, 1982, until his death. He had six children: Jessica, Louis, Elliott, Aimee, Kelly, and Jack. Elliott was Thelma Riley's son from a previous relationship and was legally adopted by Osbourne.

Sharon Osbourne, the daughter of Ozzy's original manager Don Arden, became his manager in 1979 and helped launch and sustain his solo career. Their relationship was turbulent and included a brief separation in 2016, but they remained married until Osbourne's death.

After leaving school and working a series of low-paying jobs, Osbourne began singing in local rock groups. He formed the band Rare Breed with Geezer Butler, and the pair later joined guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward in a group first known as Polka Tulk Blues and then Earth. The band adopted the name Black Sabbath after a Boris Karloff horror film and developed a grinding, ominous sound with occult themes.

Black Sabbath's debut album, Black Sabbath, was released in 1970 and reached number eight in the United Kingdom and number 23 in the United States. Its follow-up, Paranoid (1971), included “War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” and “Paranoid,” and established the group as a major heavy metal act. Master of Reality, Volume 4, and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath continued the band's commercial success.

Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979 after the band's difficulties with his drug and alcohol use and erratic behavior. The original lineup later reunited for tours and recordings, including the album 13 in 2013. Black Sabbath was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, and the band received Grammy recognition for “Iron Man” and “God Is Dead?”

Osbourne began a solo career after leaving Black Sabbath, with Sharon Arden helping him revive the project that became Blizzard of Ozz (1980). The album featured “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley,” reached the Top 10 in the United Kingdom, and eventually achieved multiplatinum status in the United States. Diary of a Madman followed in 1981, while Bark at the Moon, The Ultimate Sin, and No Rest for the Wicked also became multiplatinum albums in the United States.

His 1991 album No More Tears produced four Top 10 Billboard rock singles and the solo hit “Mama, I'm Coming Home.” He received his first Grammy in 1994 for the live-album performance of “I Don't Want to Change the World.” After announcing a retirement tour in 1992, he continued recording and performing, including appearances at Ozzfest, the heavy metal festival organized by Osbourne and Sharon that began in 1996.

Osbourne's later solo albums included Black Rain (2007), Scream (2010), Ordinary Man (2020), and Patient Number 9 (2022). Patient Number 9 won the Grammy for Best Rock Album, while “Degradation Rules,” featuring Tony Iommi, won Best Metal Performance. Osbourne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2024.

In 2002, Osbourne, Sharon, and two of their children, Kelly and Jack, starred in MTV's reality series The Osbournes. The show ran until 2005 and became one of the network's highest-rated programs. It earned a Primetime Emmy and introduced Osbourne's domestic life and distinctive speech to a broader television audience.

Osbourne later appeared with Jack in Ozzy & Jack's World Detour. The family also starred in The Osbournes Want to Believe and the special The Osbournes: Night of Terror. His screen work included playing himself in Austin Powers in Goldmember and Private Parts, as well as voice roles in Gnomeo & Juliet, Sherlock Gnomes, and Trolls World Tour.

Osbourne experienced serious health problems during his later career. A 2003 quad-bike accident caused multiple fractures and spinal damage, and a fall in 2019 aggravated the injury. He also received a Parkinson's disease diagnosis, which he publicly discussed in 2020, and repeated spinal surgeries limited his ability to tour.

On July 5, 2025, Osbourne performed his final concert in Birmingham. He sang from a black throne because of his mobility problems, performing solo songs before reuniting with the original Black Sabbath lineup at the end of the event. The concert also featured Metallica, Slipknot, Tool, Guns N' Roses, and other rock acts.

Osbourne died in Jordans, England, on July 22, 2025. A heart attack was identified as the primary cause of death, with coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease with autonomic dysfunction listed as contributing conditions.