By Mark Ellis —
The world mourns the passing of John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne, the legendary frontman of Black Sabbath and a solo rock icon, who died this morning surrounded by his family in Buckinghamshire, England. He was 76.
Known as the “Prince of Darkness,” Osbourne’s roaring voice and transfixing stage presence birthed heavy metal, a genre that reflected the angst of a generation. Yet, beneath his wild persona, Osbourne’s life revealed a surprising spiritual journey, marked by his own statements affirming his belief in God, while he endured decades of addiction, controversy, and health struggles.
With his hard-living rock lifestyle, some may be surprised that he lived to the age of 76. Others, perhaps, expected the icon might continue to live into his 80s and beyond.
His family’s statement, shared with The New York Times, reads, “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.”
Born December 3, 1948, in Aston, Birmingham, Osbourne grew up in a working-class family. His father, Jack, a toolmaker, and mother, Lillian, a factory worker, raised six children in a home where domestic violence was common, as Osbourne recounted in his memoir, I Am Ozzy.
Leaving school at 15 due to undiagnosed dyslexia and ADHD, he worked odd jobs—plumber, slaughterhouse worker, car horn tuner—before he began to pursue music. Inspired by The Beatles’ “She Loves You,” Osbourne declared, “I was going to be a rock star the rest of my life,” a vow he fulfilled against all odds.
In 1968, Osbourne co-founded Black Sabbath with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, naming the band after a Boris Karloff horror film. Their self-titled debut in 1970, likened to the “Big Bang of heavy metal,” crashed the hippie era with dark anthems like “Paranoid” and “Iron Man.”
Critics, like Robert Christgau, described them as “Satanic claptrap,” but many fans embraced their dark influences. Osbourne’s performances were marked by haunting vocals and theatrical malevolence—wearing crosses crafted by his toolmaker father.
Despite his “Prince of Darkness” image, Osbourne’s affirmation of faith grew out of his Anglican upbringing. Christened in the Church of England, he attended Sunday school and briefly considered the priesthood as a boy.
In a 1992 New York Times interview, he declared himself a “practicing member of the Church of England,” and that he prayed before every concert, a ritual captured in the 2011 documentary God Bless Ozzy Osbourne, produced by his son Jack.
“I do believe in God,” he told GQ in 2020, “but I’ve got my own idea of what he looks like.” His non-traditional expression of faith seemed sincere, but it often clashed with his stage persona.
Songs like “After Forever,” penned by fellow bandmember Geezer Butler, warned of hell and affirmed Christ’s sacrifice, reflecting Osbourne’s belief in God.
Osbourne’s life was a battle against darkness within and without. Fired from Black Sabbath in 1979 due to substance abuse, he rebounded with solo albums Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981), spawning hits like “Crazy Train” and “Flying High Again.” His antics—biting the head off a bat in 1982 (mistaking it for a prop) and doves at a record label meeting—fueled accusations of Satanism, which he vehemently denied. “I’m a Christian,” he told The Guardian in 2014. “I was christened as a Christian. I used to go to Sunday school.”
A 1980s lawsuit claiming his song “Suicide Solution” incited a teen’s death was dismissed, affirming his music as art, not advocacy.
His personal life was also turbulent. Married to Thelma Riley from 1971 to 1982, Osbourne adopted her son Elliot and had two children, Jessica and Louis. He later admitted to being an absent, abusive father due to addiction, calling the marriage a “terrible mistake.”
In 1982, he married Sharon Arden, daughter of manager Don Arden, who guided his solo career. They had three children—Aimee, Kelly, and Jack—and faced trials, including Osbourne’s 1989 arrest for attempting to strangle Sharon while intoxicated. She dropped the charges, and their marriage endured, celebrated in the Emmy-winning reality show The Osbournes (2002–2005), which revealed Ozzy as a “doddering and sweet father.”
Health challenges were prevalent in Osbourne’s later years. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003 (revealed publicly in 2020), he battled mobility issues, requiring a throne for his final Black Sabbath concert on July 5, 2025, in Birmingham. A 2019 fall and 2003 ATV accident caused severe injuries, yet his voice remained strong, as Sharon noted: “Parkinson’s doesn’t affect his voice.”
Ozzy Osbourne leaves a legacy of musical innovation, cultural impact, and spiritual complexity. Survived by Sharon, children Aimee, Kelly, Jack, Jessica, Louis, and Elliot, and grandchildren, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice—with Black Sabbath (2006) and as a solo artist (2024).
To learn more about a personal relationship with God, go here
At the core of the Gospel is what Jesus told Nicodemus, “You MUST be born again.” Not confirmed, not baptized, not a church goer, not a past attender of Sunday School. The only thing that matters now for Ozzy is, was he born again? Was he in love with Jesus? Was Jesus the Lord of his life? Was his name in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Isn’t it sad that eternity alone will tell? We should all live in such a way that people don’t wonder where we are when we pass into eternity. They should know that we are in love with Jesus and our lives showed it. Jesus did say that we’ll know them by their fruit. Jesus is the light and all who love Him come to the light, not glory in darkness.
Are you unaware of what the scriptures say about baptism?
You ask…”Was Jesus the Lord” of his life? Do you know what Lord means?…Lord typically means…most notably… referring to God, as well as respect for master and owner. It signifies Jesus divinity and lordship over all Creation…a title of respect for master and owner…it signifies authority, power, and sovereignty and is used to denote a superior ruler…,,I am a Christian, but at times, I rebel, get depressed, worry..,,but God does not leave me as I am His child. Romans 8:38-39. “ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present, nor the future, nor any powers, neither heigh nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is on Christ Jesus our Lord.”
the born again heresy is just for fundies
This is a tragic passing Ozzy was satanic. What’s to “celebrate”? Are you KIDDING me?
[…] writer Mark Ellis describedOsbourne’s life was described as a “surprising spiritual journey,” highlighting […]
Jesus is his judge. But I can think of any number of lukewarm, half-baked Christians who “believe in God” and make token gestures toward Him on odd occasions who would never make it to God Reports because they didn”t serve the devil, they’re “too boring.” They aren’t famous or infamous. They slide into Hell with many others. “Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord.” (Hebrews..written to Christians.)
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