Ozzy Osbourne
Biography
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne was born in Birmingham, England on December 3, 1948. Growing up in a working-class family, he dealt with dyslexia and left school at 15 to work various manual labor jobs. After a brief stint in prison for burglary, he turned his focus to music.
Black Sabbath
In 1968, Osbourne co-founded the band Earth with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward. They soon renamed themselves Black Sabbath, inspired by a Boris Karloff film of the same name. The band is widely credited with creating the heavy metal genre, distinguished by their loud, distorted guitar riffs and dark lyrical themes. Black Sabbath released a string of influential and commercially successful albums throughout the 1970s, including "Paranoid," "Master of Reality," and "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath". In 1979, Osbourne was fired from the band due to issues with substance abuse.
Solo Career
Following his departure from Black Sabbath, Osbourne launched a successful solo career with the release of his debut album, "Blizzard of Ozz," in 1980. The album, featuring the hit single "Crazy Train," was a massive commercial success. He continued to release multi-platinum albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including "Diary of a Madman," "Bark at the Moon," and "No More Tears". His solo work has sold over 100 million albums worldwide.
Ozzfest
In 1996, Osbourne and his wife, Sharon, created Ozzfest, a traveling music festival that featured numerous heavy metal and hard rock bands. The festival became a highly successful annual event, running for over two decades and helping to launch the careers of many artists.
Television and Media
In the early 2000s, Osbourne gained a new level of fame with the MTV reality show "The Osbournes," which chronicled the daily life of his family. The show was a massive success and introduced him to a wider audience. He has since appeared in various other television shows, including "Ozzy & Jack's World Detour".
Personal Life
Osbourne married Sharon Arden in 1982, and she also became his manager. They have three children together: Aimee, Kelly, and Jack. Osbourne also has children from his previous marriage to Thelma Riley. He has publicly struggled with drug and alcohol addiction throughout his life. In 2020, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
Legacy and Achievements
Ozzy Osbourne is recognized as a significant figure in the history of rock music. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, both as a member of Black Sabbath and as a solo artist. He has also received a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance and the Global Icon Award at the MTV Europe Music Awards.