Toronto musicians honor legendary Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne

final show, weeks before his death8 hours agoOzzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath played an emotional farewell gig in Birmingham, England, on July 5 in front of tens of thousands of fans. After the show, fans paid tribute to the godfather of heavy metal, who died Tuesday at the age of 76.’A different approach to music’Cancer Bats, using the name Bat Sabbath, have performed as a Black Sabbath tribute band. Schwarzer said it was special to see Black Sabbath twice.Schwarzer said when Black Sabbath was becoming known, pop bands such as the Bee Gees were big.”Nobody sounded dark and evil like they did,” he said. “And so, it just opened doors for people with a different approach to music to say, you can do this.”Ozzy Osbourne, godfather of heavy metal who later found fame on reality TV, passed away at 76Ozzy Osbourne and the original Black Sabbath members joined forces for a final concertOsbourne made his mark in the late 1960s with Black Sabbath, earning the title of the father of heavy metal. In the 1980s, he embarked on a successful solo career, generating buzz for biting the head off a bat during a performance and his notorious drug-fueled lifestyle. Transitioning into a lovable and colorful reality TV star, Osbourne resonated with audiences.’He championed heavy metal for the masses’Roland Murray, a guitarist for The Ozzy Experience, a Toronto-based tribute band dedicated to Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, expressed his sorrow at Osbourne’s passing.”He championed heavy metal for the masses,” Murray stated. “Rest peacefully, Ozzy. You will be missed, not only by me but by people worldwide.”Music legend Ozzy Osbourne chuckled during a press conference in Toronto on May 19, 2010, to promote his album ‘Scream’. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)’The metal equivalent of Elvis Presley dying’Alan Cross, host of The Ongoing History of New Music, a Canadian music history documentary radio program by Corus Entertainment, emphasized the magnitude of Osbourne’s legacy and influence on the music industry.”This is the metal version of Elvis Presley’s passing. That’s the scale of it,” Cross acknowledged. “Ozzy has been an iconic figure since 1969. He survived numerous obstacles that would have overcome anyone else. Alongside Black Sabbath, he played a pivotal role in creating heavy metal as a music genre.””This genre has inspired countless bands over the last half-century. Osbourne himself evolved into a solo star in the 1980s and 1990s, carving out his unique sound. He then made his mark in reality TV, solidifying his status as a pioneer of the reality television genre,” Cross continued. “Wherever he went, he was cherished and adored by people.”Osbourne is survived by his wife and manager Sharon, five children – including Jack, Kelly, and Aimee – and several grandchildren.With contributions from Thomson Reuters and The Associated PressCBC’s Journalistic Principles and Practices·About CBC NewsCorrections and explanations·Submit a headline·Report mistakeRelated Stories Ozzy Osbourne, godfather of heavy metal who later found fame on reality TV, passes away at 76 Ozzy Osbourne and pioneers of Black Sabbath reunite to headline last show{“@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”WebPage”,”speakable”:{“@type”:”SpeakableSpecification”,”cssSelector”:[“.detailHeadline”,”.detailSummary”]}}