In a poignant ceremony in Birmingham on Wednesday, Sharon Osbourne and her daughter Kelly fought back tears as they accepted a prestigious civic honour in memory of the late rock legend Ozzy Osbourne. The presentation of the Lord Mayor's Award coincided with what would have been the Black Sabbath frontman's 77th birthday, drawing fans to his hometown for a celebration of his life.
A Civic Honour for a Local Legend
The award, presented by Councillor Ken Wood, recognises outstanding contributions to the community. It served as a formal civic acknowledgment of Ozzy's profound impact, which began when he co-founded the seminal heavy metal band Black Sabbath in Birmingham in 1969. The singer, who sold over 100 million records, died of heart failure at his Buckinghamshire home on July 22, merely two weeks after a final farewell concert with bandmates at Birmingham's Villa Park.
Emotions ran high during the acceptance. Sharon, who was married to Ozzy for 43 years, and Kelly both shared their grief and love publicly. Earlier in the day, Sharon posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, stating: 'I will never let go of your hand until I see you on the other side. My darling husband, I celebrate the day you were born.'
Fans and Family Pay Tribute
Across the city, fans created impromptu memorials to mark the occasion. The focal point was the Black Sabbath Bench on Broad Street, which was adorned with dozens of bouquets and handwritten notes. The Osbourne family left their own touching note amongst the floral tributes, which read: 'We love you Daddy, Love Louis, Aimee, Kelly and Jack.'
Kelly Osbourne, 41, also took to social media, sharing images from the bench and a childhood photo with her father. Her caption expressed the depth of her loss: 'Happy birthday daddy you most certainly did not die an ordinary man!... What I would not give to watch you blow out just one more candle.' She later added a post wishing her brother Jack, currently on ITV's I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here, strength on this difficult day.
The Enduring Legacy of Black Sabbath
The event underscored the lasting, if sometimes controversial, legacy of Ozzy and Black Sabbath. With era-defining hits like 'Iron Man,' 'War Pigs,' and 'Paranoid,' the band's exploration of occult themes propelled them to global fame and notoriety. Their influence was so potent that a future pope once condemned Osbourne for his 'subliminal satanic influence.'
Ozzy's death followed a six-year battle with Parkinson's Disease, coming shortly after that emotional final hometown performance with original bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. The gathering in Birmingham this week proved that while the Prince of Darkness may have left the stage, his memory continues to resonate powerfully in the city where his legendary journey began.
