Ozzy Osbourne funeral: Family, hometown pay tribute to heavy metal legend

Sharon Osbourne was visibly emotional during Wednesday's funeral in Birmingham, England.
Ozzy's funeral: An emotional Sharon Osbourne give the signature peace sign by her husband, Ozzy Osbourne, during the metal rock legend's funeral on July 30. (Loannis Alexopoulos/Anadolu via Getty Images)

BIRMINGHAM, England — “No More Tears,” Ozzy Osbourne famously sang in 1991. But plenty of them were shed on Wednesday as family, friends and fans gathered in the late heavy metal rocker’s hometown to pay their respects.

Osbourne, the frontman for Black Sabbath who went on to a productive solo career, died on July 22. He was 76.

On Wednesday, his widow Sharon and their two children, Kelly and Jack, were there to lead the singer’s funeral procession for thousands of fans in Birmingham, England.

The hearse containing Osbourne’s coffin drove past the Black Sabbath Bridge and bench, which was dedicated in 2019. A visibly emotional Sharon Osbourne leaned on her children for support as they walked hand in hand. After spending about five minutes at the bridge, they turned to the crowd and Sharon flashed Ozzy’s signature peace sign gesture.

Thousands of fans have already paid their respects with flowers and tributes, according to a news release from Birmingham city officials.

The death of rock’s “Prince of Darkness” came two weeks after his final concert in England. The July 5 event was a reprieve from Osbourne’s five-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. Osbourne decided to stop touring in 2023.

The disease prevented the singer from standing or walking without assistance, but for his final performance he sang while sitting on a throne that came from under the stage.

The concert will be released on the big screen in 2026, according to a post on Osbourne’s official X account.

Osbourne’s signature hit from 1980, “Crazy Train,” hit the newest Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time, coming in at No. 46 for the week ending Aug. 2. Meanwhile, his 1992 song, “Mama, I’m Coming Home” returned to the Hot 100 for the first time since it peaked at No. 28 in 1992. This week, the song is No. 49.

The latter song seemed appropriate for Osbourne’s send-off on Wednesday: “Times have changed and times are strange/Here I come but I ain’t the same/Mama, I’m coming home.”

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