By Anthony Bonilla-Lazo
Staff Writer
On July 22nd, the world lost the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne. Many miss Osbourne, including myself. He was an inspiration to many guitarists who listened to his music and learned from his amazing albums; many even attempted to play like him. Osbourne was a significant member of Black Sabbath, a heavy metal band that consisted of four members. The members would consist of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward. Osbourne would later launch his solo career, where he would earn the rightful title of ‘Prince of Darkness.’ “I wouldn’t say that he was living by the moniker of ‘Princes of Darkness’ when he was with Black Sabbath,” Hampden Kenan, a teacher at R.J. Reynolds High School who had lunch with Osbourne around 1995, said. “I think that was all built around a diary of a madman.”
Kenan first met Osbourne in Fayetteville, North Carolina, when his soccer team was playing for the state championship. During that time, his team was staying at a hotelWhen they went down the elevator, there they were, Ozzy Osbourne and Cody Rhodes. Kenan and his teammates ran up to their room to grab some notepads and asked for their autographs. They then talked to Osbourne and Rhodes for nearly 30 minutes.
During his time in Black Sabbath, Osbourne made many great records, including the now-loved Paranoid album, which was released in 1970. But in 1979, the band made the hard decision to remove Osbourne due to his drug and alcohol abuse..
After being kicked out of his band, Osbourne began his solo career, debuting his first album, Blizzard of Ozz. On July 4, 1982, he would go on to marry his wife, Sharon Osbourne, and have three lovely children with her. Sharon would help Ozzy manage live performances and set up events whenever he went on stage.
“All I can tell you is that he was as normal as any human being in the world,” Kenan said. “He was funny and was interested in what we were doing.”
As Osbourne got older, he started to have health issues such as spinal issues and emphysema. Osbourne ultimately announced his diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease in 2019. Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that affects movement. With that news, many fans were devastated but continued to support Osbourne throughout his battle.
Osbourne revealed his final concert reunion with black sabbath in February 2025. He would perform in July of 2025 with his bandmates for the very last time. It was a very emotional concert for many since this would be the very last time they would see Obourne on stage. Two weeks after the concert, Ozborne passed away at the age of 76 years old.
“You know Ozzy lived hard, played hard, but was often misunderstood,” Kenan said. “I hate that he is gone, but he lives on in the music to me.”
Ozzy Osbourne inspired me to play the guitar and to always maintain a positive mindset. His music has always kept me in a good mood, and it will continue to do so. Ozzy, you’ll be missed by all, and you will always be in are hearts. Rest in peace, Ozzy Osbourne.