Iconic rocker Joan Jett has paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne who died on Tuesday (July 22) at the age of 76. Speaking to Baltimore’s 98 Rock radio station, she said about the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Well, he holds kind of a special place in my heart because he’s actually the very — BLACK SABBATH was my very first concert I ever went to. [It was in the] early ’70s. I don’t remember exactly, but it was in Maryland after ‘Iron Man’, after that album came out. And then I learned to play guitar to some of their songs, ’cause they had big, sad chords that I sometimes play. ‘Iron Man’ was one you tried to play, for sure.”
Referencing Ozzy‘s passing, Joan continued: “It’s sad and it’s —not shocking, but it’s always surprising when you lose somebody of such stature in the rock world and just what he’s accomplished in his life. [I wish all] my best to his family for sure.”
After the interviewer noted that it was great that Ozzy was able to make his final concert on July 5 at the “Back To The Beginning” event in Birmingham, United Kingdom, Joan concurred. “Totally. And I was thinking that too,” she said. “It’s really great that he was able to make that gig and do that because I’m sure he knew that was it. And then he could relax and pass in peace, I guess, in a way. But then I’m reading into things, and I don’t really wanna go there, so I don’t wanna say anything more about that.”
Ozzy died Tuesday morning (July 22),his family announced in a statement.
“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,” the family said.
No cause of death was given, but Osbourne had battled a number of health issues over the past several years, including Parkinson’s disease and injuries he sustained from a late-night fall in 2019.
At the “Back To The Beginning” concert, Ozzy and the rest of BLACK SABBATH performed four songs for more than 40,000 people in the stadium and 5.8 million more on a livestream. Ozzy also played a five-song solo set while seated in a bat-adorned throne.
