Ozzy Osbourne helped invent heavy metal on the Black Sabbath. He then dragged the genre from its early days into the glamour and charm of the arena rock era of the 1980s, becoming a staple on MTV. Along the way, he wrestled with demons like alcohol and drugs, and hit the accusations of being a Satanist.
However, his “never die” attitude always plunged him into the spotlight, even during the year when Locke was declared dead. He and his wife (and manager), Sharon, have transformed their rock and roll lives into something of a reality TV comedy called “The Osborne.” He also helped establish his music star score through his Ozzfest Music Festival in the 1990s and 2000s.
He saved what could have been his most epic performance in the end. Just a few weeks before he died at 76, Osborne got the headline “Back to the beginning.” The All-Star Heavy Metal Concert, held in his British hometown of Birmingham, featured sets such as Metallica and Guns N' Rose before culminating in performances by Ozzy's band and Black Sabbath.
“You don't know how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he told a crowd of thousands.