Ozzy Osbourne Dead: Heavy Metal Icon Faced the Same Grim Ending That Haunted Him Since His Father's Death

Ozzy Osbourne, the lead singer of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, had died. His family announced the news Tuesday, saying he died "surrounded by love."

He had suffered from serious health problems for many years, including Parkinson's disease, multiple surgeries and complications related to his decade-long bouts with addiction.

But despite the obstacles, the self-anointed Prince of Darkness continued to work in both music and as a TV personality until almost the end of his life.

Not a Goodbye to Music

Osbourne's final live appearance took place less than three weeks ago during a Black Sabbath reunion show at Villa Park Stadium in Birmingham. While widely viewed as a farewell, those close to the singer say he still had more planned.

"Ozzy saw Villa Park as the farewell on his live shows, not his career," said a longtime source and friend, who spoke to the Daily Mail. He had reportedly been preparing a new studio album with producer Andrew Watt and was eager to promote his upcoming memoir titled "Last Rites," which is scheduled for release in October.

He had also been working on a feature-length documentary for Paramount Plus called "Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now" and was set to star alongside his family in the BBC reality series "Home to Roost." According to the source, "He was looking forward to promoting the memoir. He found the whole process quite therapeutic and fun."

A Fear Rooted in the Past

He was born in 1948 as John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham, England with five siblings in a working-class family. Osbourne's father, John "Jack" Osbourne, who was 52, died in 1977, a few days after he had retired from his job as a toolmaker. The rock star was reportedly deeply affected by that loss.

"[John] went out and dug up the garden for a few days and then dropped dead, just like that," the source said.

"Ozzy felt that as hard as his workload was, John kind of had that purpose of going to work to provide for his family and have a role. And when it was absent, it kind of left him lost."

This fear inspired the 1978 Black Sabbath song "Junior's Eyes," which was written as a tribute to his father.

For Ozzy, staying busy was not just about productivity. It was about survival. Even while managing neck, leg, and back pain along with his Parkinson's diagnosis, he continued to appear on television and record music. "Ozzy hated the thought of just withering away and stopping altogether," the source said.

Osbourne's record sales exceeded 100 million during his career. Among his solo smashes were "Crazy Train" and "Hellraiser," and he helped pioneer heavy metal with Black Sabbath classics including "Paranoid," "Iron Man" and "War Pigs."

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Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath