Heavy metal legend and San Antonio favorite Ozzy Osbourne has died

Black Sabbath singer, heavy metal pioneer and San Antonio musical favorite Ozzy Osbourne has died at age 76, according to his family.

The announcement of Osborne’s death comes days after he and Black Sabbath performed what they announced would be their final gig — a blowout supported by multiple other heavy metal acts in front of 40,000 fans in the group’s hometown of Birmingham, England. Osbourne, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019, performed the concert seated.

“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,” the rock legend’s family said in a statement. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.” Osbourne and Sabbath were fixtures on San Antonio radio during the late-’70s through early-’90s, when the city was known as the “Heavy Metal Capital of the World.” Indeed, the Alamo City played prominently into the mythos surrounding both the singer and the pioneering band.

Osbourne was arrested on Feb. 19, 1982 for urinating on the Alamo Cenotaph during a tour stop here. He later issued at least two apologies for the incident and was allowed to return to the Alamo in November 2015 with his son for tour of the landmark that appeared on their History Channel reality program Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour.

The double album Ozzy Live, released by Epic Records in 2012, was taken from a 1981 recording of Osbourne and the late guitar hero Randy Rhoads performing a San Antonio concert.

Sabbath also finished out the North American leg of its The End farewell tour with performance at San Antonio’s AT&T Center, since renamed the Frost Bank Center.

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This article appears in Jul 10-23, 2025.