BIRMINGHAM — Family members of Ozzy Osbourne joined fans in bidding farewell to the Black Sabbath frontman in his home city, as Birmingham marked the first anniversary of his death on Wednesday with tributes to the musician's life and career.
Osbourne died aged 76 on July 22, 2025, surrounded by his family, according to reports at the time. His death came weeks after he reunited with Black Sabbath's original members for a farewell performance at Villa Park in Birmingham, near where the band was formed.
The family's public farewell followed a funeral cortege that travelled through central Birmingham on July 30, 2025. The procession, supported by Birmingham City Council and funded by Osbourne's family, passed along Broad Street and stopped at the Black Sabbath Bridge and Bench, where fans had gathered to leave flowers and messages. Sharon Osbourne and members of the family followed the hearse during the procession before a private family funeral.
Thousands of fans turned out for the cortege, with the city describing the event as a final public tribute to one of Birmingham's best-known musical figures. The council said the procession was organised in cooperation with the Osbourne family and that the family covered the associated costs.
The anniversary on Wednesday was being marked by the inaugural "Ozzy Day", a city-wide programme of music, public art and tributes organised with Birmingham City Council and local partners. Events were planned at locations associated with Osbourne and Black Sabbath, including the Black Sabbath Bridge and Bench and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, while performances were scheduled from Bostin Brass and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
Osbourne, born in Birmingham in 1948, became internationally known as the lead singer of Black Sabbath and later as a solo artist. His final performance came at the July 5, 2025, "Back to the Beginning" concert at Villa Park, which brought together the band's original members and other prominent rock musicians.
Wednesday's anniversary events provide the latest public commemoration of Osbourne in Birmingham, with the city continuing to honour his connection to the place where his career began.
