Ozzy Osbourne returned to the “home of metal” for the last time on Wednesday (July 30) as an emotional Birmingham and his loved ones honored him. Thousands of Black Sabbath fans paid their respects to the band’s frontman as his hearse made its way through the city center. His wife, Sharon Osbourne, and their children, Jack, Kelly, and Aimee, were all in tears as they followed behind the funeral procession.
As previously reported, the superstar artist passed away last Tuesday (July 22) at age 76. Osbourne had been in poor health in recent years, especially after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019.
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More Details About Ozzy Osbourne’s Funeral Procession
According to the Associated Press, the hearse carrying Ozzy Osbourne went down Broad Street in Birmingham, England, to the Black Sabbath bench. The bench was unveiled on the Broad Street canal bridge in 2019. “Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, oi, oi, oi,” fans screamed as the funeral procession went by.
Six vehicles carrying the Osbourne family followed the hearse. Police motorcycle riders and a police car accompanied the procession. The family briefly emerged to view the fan tributes near the Black Sabbath bench. Osbourne was famously known as the band’s frontman. Tributes included photos, cards, banners, posters, flowers, balloons, and more.
Even after the hearse had moved on for the private funeral, the city was pounding to the beat of Black Sabbath. Katie Brazier, head of events at Birmingham City Council, said Osbourne meant “everything” to the city.
“He never forgot where he came from,” Brazier said. “You could still hear that Brummie accent wherever he was, you know, I think some people have hidden away from the fact that they are from Birmingham and they’ve got that accent but he kept it all the way through.”
Osbourne Family Pays Tribute To Rockstar In Subtle Ways
Sharon Osbourne, who was married to Ozzy for 43 years, was visibly distraught and wiping away tears. She and their children each paid tribute to the music legend in their own subtle ways. Sharon laid purple flowers at the memorial site while wearing her husband’s wedding band on a gold chain around her neck. His 39-year-old son Jack wore a small, silver cross pin at the end of his tie, an ode to his dad’s preferred fashion accessory. Kelly, 40, also rocked a favorite accessory of her dad’s: wire-rimmed sunglasses. Meanwhile, 41-year-old Aimee wore a bat broach on her black blazer. The wild animal had become synonymous with Ozzy Osbourne after he unknowingly bit off the head of a real bat during a 1982 concert, per the New York Post.
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RECAP: The Life Of A Rockstar
Ozzy Osbourne never forgot his working-class roots. Black Sabbath’s story began in Birmingham in 1968 when the four original members were looking to escape a life of factory work. Without doubt, the sound and fury of heavy metal had its roots in the city’s manufacturing heritage. The band has been widely credited with defining and popularizing the aggressive but melodic sound of heavy metal.
Osbourne was Black Sabbath’s frontman during its peak period in the 1970s. His antics, on and off stage, were legendary, and often fueled by drink and drugs. He was widely known as the “Prince of Darkness.” The band’s eponymous debut album in 1970 made the U.K. top 10. It also paved the way for a string of hit albums, including 1971’s ‘Master of Reality’ and ‘Vol. 4’ a year later.
Ultimately, Black Sabbath became one of the most influential and successful metal bands ever, selling over 75 million albums worldwide. At his final live show on July 5, 2025, 42,000 fans watched the band perform for the first time in 20 years at Villa Park. Osbourne was seated on a black throne.
Off-stage, Ozzy found success alongside Sharon and their youngest children, Kelly and Jack, when they starred in the early 2000s reality show ‘The Osbournes.’
SEE MORE FUNERAL PROCESSION PHOTOS BELOW.
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Associated Press writers Hilary Fox and Pan Pylas contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.
