Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne dies at 76 following Parkinson's battle

English musician and Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne succumbed to Parkinson's disease on Tuesday, July 22. He was 76.

Born John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne, he was a singer-songwriter who was catapulted to fame in the 1970s, during which time he served as the leader of Black Sabbath, a heavy metal band he founded. The news comes just weeks after he took to the stage for one final performance with his bandmates at Villa Park in Birmingham, The Sun has reported.

In a statement from his family, per the outlet, he was "surrounded by love."

The family said: "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. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee, and Louis."

The final years of Ozzy Osbourne's life explored

Ozzy Osbourne, who also went by the moniker "Prince of Darkness," was a favorite among heavy metal enthusiasts. Over the years, he'd attracted a legion of fan following for his on-stage antics alone. In his performance earlier this month, he reunited with Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill Ward.

The Sun has reported that the performance on July 5, called Back To The Beginning, was advertised as "the greatest heavy metal show ever," and at one point, the singer watched his daughter, Kelly, get proposed to by her partner, Sid Wilson. It also marked the first time in two decades that the original members of the band reunited for a gig.

Ozzy Osbourne reportedly said that it would be his last performance due to his declining health. He'd first revealed his Parkinson's disease diagnosis 5 years ago.

"It's not a death sentence … It's a mild form of Parkinson's at the moment,” he told Radio.com in February 2020. “I'm not shaking. The doctor told me that I probably walk by 10 people a day who have got it and don't even know they've got it. You don't get a pimple on your forehead, you just start walking a bit funny I suppose."

People Magazine has reported that Ozzy Osbourne's ailments began in October 2018, when he contracted an infection in his thumb, causing him to undergo surgery on his hand. The following year, he had been hit with severe upper respiratory infection. As he was recuperating, he had a bad fall, leaving him with injuries.

By January 2020, Ozzy Osbourne and his wife made an appearance on Good Morning America, where they opened up about his Parkinson's:

Sharon said at the time that Ozzy's condition was “not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination.” She said, “It’s like you have a good day, a good day, and then a really bad day.”

Ozzy Osbourne noted:

"I’m no good with secrets. I cannot walk around with it anymore ’cause it’s like I’m running out of excuses, you know?”

During the same appearance, he got candid about his struggles with performing and taking care of his family as he had been for several years:

“Coming from a working-class background, I hate to let people down,” the Crazy Train singer said. “I hate to not do my job. And so when I see my wife goin’ to work, my kids goin’ to work, everybody’s doing — tryin’ to be helpful to me, that gets me down because I can’t contribute to my family, you know.”

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