Sir Elton John has paid an emotional and deeply touching tribute to his “dear friend” and “true legend” Ozzy Osbourne, following the news of his death at age 76.
Osbourne’s family broke the news of his passing in a statement, revealing that he was “surrounded by love” during his final moments. The “trailblazing” front man for Black Sabbath and solo artist had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019 but also battled addiction for decades in the public eye.
Sir Elton and Osbourne shared a decades-long friendship and both families knew each other well. As titans in their fields, the Rocketman singer and “Prince of Darkness” no doubt found common ground as survivors of very public, decades-long battles with addiction, and later collaborated on the power ballad, Ordinary Man.
Taking to Instagram, Sir Elton penned an emotional post where he wrote about their close relationship and shared his condolences to the Paranoid singer’s family, including wife and manager Sharon Osbourne.
“So sad to hear the news of @ozzyosbourne passing away,” Sir Elton started.
“He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend.
“He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly.
“To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love.”
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For Osbourne, Sir Elton was a true friend who was there for him during his recovery from a horrific quad bike accident in 2003, according to Yahoo Entertainment.
“Elton told me to get off the couch and start walking, which was what I needed, as I couldn’t move off it for months,” Osborne said per Yahoo Entertainment.
“He was right. Elton is a sweetheart. He has phoned me throughout all this. He was at the house the other day with his two boys. They are great kids. They are such a good family. You would be surprised. When you are feeling miserable, you find out who is a friend and who doesn’t give a s**t.”
Osbourne was one of the most influential and recognisable figures in rock history and his band, Black Sabbath are considered one of the primary, and most important bands, in heavy metal music.
Born December 3, 1948, in Birmingham, England, Osbourne would go on to sell over 100 million records worldwide. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Black Sabbath in 2006, and again as a solo artist in 2024. He also earned stars on both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Birmingham Walk of Stars, and received numerous honours including the MTV Global Icon Award (2014) and the Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement Award (2015).
Osbourne’s achievements extended beyond music. In the early 2000s, he became a reality television star with The Osbournes on MTV, appearing alongside his wife Sharon and their children, Kelly and Jack. The show offered an unexpectedly candid and often hilarious look at rock stardom and domestic life, expanding his fan base well beyond metal audiences. He later co-starred with Jack and Kelly in Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour.
Despite ongoing health issues, Osbourne remained committed to his music. On July 5, 2025, he gave his final live performance at the Back to the Beginning concert event, after announcing earlier in the year that it would be his last onstage appearance.
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