Ozzy Osbourne’s family announced on Tuesday that the legendary Black Sabbath singer has died at the age of 76.
According to BBC, the family’s statement said: “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.”
Osbourne rose to prominence in 1968 as a founding member and lead singer of Black Sabbath. The band were trail blazers of the heavy metal genre of music, with iconic songs such as “Paranoid,” “War Pigs” and “Iron Man.”
The singer left Black Sabbath in 1979 and started a solo career during which he released more than a dozen albums. One of his most famous songs is his debut single, “Crazy Train,” according to BBC.
Osbourne became a reality TV star along with his family after launching the MTV show “The Osbournes.” The show featured, Osbourne, his wife Sharon and their children Kelly and Jack as they showcased their lives in Los Angeles.
Just weeks before his death Osbourne gave one last performance from a throne at the Black Sabbath farewell concert in Birmingham, England, on July 5, per People.
In 2020, the singer shared that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003. He suffered from a number of health challenges over the years.
Osbourne, whose full name was John Michael Osbourne, was raised in Birmingham, England, per The Associated Press. He received the nickname Ozzy from kids in school.
The singer is survived by Sharon and his children.
Fans react to Ozzy Osbourne’s death
After the news of Osbourne’s death began to circulate around the internet many fans of his began to share their sadness at his death and gratitude for the things he did.
These fan tributes posted on social media credited Osbourne with having a major influence on the heavy metal genre, with many people referring to him as a legend.
Some of the tributes posted on X included clips from his final performance earlier this month.