Fans Bid Emotional Farewell to Ozzy Osbourne in Birmingham

• Jul 30, 2025

Thousands of fans gathered in Birmingham on Wednesday to say a heartfelt goodbye to Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary Black Sabbath frontman who died last week at age 76. The procession honoring Osbourne passed through the city where his music career began more than five decades ago.

Born and raised in Birmingham, Osbourne co-founded Black Sabbath in 1968, helping shape heavy metal music worldwide. His funeral procession moved through Broad Street to the Black Sabbath Bridge, a local landmark that features a bench with life-size cutouts of the band's original members: Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward.

Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy’s wife of 43 years, visited the memorial accompanied by their three children — Aimee, Kelly, and Jack. She placed flowers at the tribute site as onlookers watched from behind barriers. The family was visibly emotional as they took in the floral tributes, fan messages, and personal items left by mourners.

Birmingham's Lord Mayor, Zafar Iqbal, also attended the procession. In a statement earlier in the week, Iqbal described Osbourne as “more than a music legend — he was a son of Birmingham.” He emphasized the city’s pride in hosting the tribute before the family's private funeral service.

Fans traveled from around the U.K. to honor Osbourne’s life and legacy. Many shared their memories and personal connections to the rock star. Graham Croucher, a 58-year-old train driver, said Osbourne’s music had been the “soundtrack” to his life. Amanda Summers, a 37-year-old singer, said Osbourne felt like family after watching his reality show The Osbournes growing up.

Some fans brought symbolic gifts, including Jack Daniel’s bottles and toy bats — a nod to Osbourne’s wild stage persona and infamous 1980s bat incident. Others tied football shirts and hand-written notes to the bridge. One shirt read, “Final Stop On The Crazy Train? But Metal Lives Forever,” referencing Osbourne’s 1980 hit Crazy Train.

Since his passing, Crazy Train has seen a massive spike in streaming, landing at No. 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time.

Osbourne retired from touring in 2023 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020. Just weeks before his death, he appeared onstage for one last time during a tribute concert in Birmingham attended by over 40,000 fans. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he told the cheering crowd that night.

His private funeral is set for Thursday in Buckinghamshire.