Early Life and Education of Ozzy Osbourne: A Complete Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of Ozzy Osbourne. From birth to education, explore key events.

Ozzy Osbourne is an English singer, songwriter, and media personality, best known as the lead singer of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Gaining prominence in the 1970s, he became an iconic figure in the heavy metal genre, known by his nickname 'Prince of Darkness'. After being dismissed from Black Sabbath, Ozzy launched a successful solo career, further solidifying his status as a major force in the music industry. His career extends beyond music, including reality television shows, making him a well-known celebrity.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1915: Father's Birth Year

Ozzy Osbourne's father, John Thomas "Jack" Osbourne, was born in 1915.

1916: Mother's Birth Year

Ozzy Osbourne's mother, Lilian (née Unitt), was born in 1916.

December 1948: Ozzy Osbourne's Birth

In December 1948, Ozzy Osbourne was born at Maternity Hospital in Marston Green and grew up in the Aston area of Birmingham.

1963: Inspiration from The Beatles' "She Loves You"

In 1963, at the age of 14, Ozzy Osbourne heard The Beatles' song "She Loves You" and was inspired to become a musician.

1969: Iommi and Ward Meet Ozzy

In 1969, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward responded to Ozzy Osbourne's flyer "Ozzy Zig Needs Gig" which was posted in a record store. Iommi recognized Osbourne from their school days.

1971: Marriage to Thelma Riley

In 1971, Ozzy Osbourne met Thelma Riley and married her later that year. They had two children together. Osbourne also adopted Riley's son Elliot.

1971: First Cocaine Experience

In early 1971, Ozzy Osbourne had his first experience with cocaine at a hotel in Denver, Colorado, after a show with Mountain. He was introduced to the drug by Mountain's guitarist, Leslie West.

1977: Death of Ozzy's Father

Ozzy Osbourne's father, John Thomas "Jack" Osbourne, passed away in 1977.

1978: Substance Misuse Confession

In a 1978 interview with Sounds, Ozzy Osbourne confessed to misusing alcohol and other drugs, questioning why so many people felt the need to get intoxicated.

1979: Post-Black Sabbath Firing

Upon being fired from Black Sabbath in 1979, Ozzy Osbourne spent three months locked in his hotel room misusing alcohol and other drugs. He credits Sharon with saving his life by offering to manage him as a solo artist.

1981: Incident with CBS Europe Head

In 1981, Ozzy Osbourne claims he performed a striptease and kissed a CBS Europe executive while intoxicated. Sharon Osbourne claims he goose-stepped and urinated in the executive's wine but was too drunk to remember.

1981: Rhoads Predicts Marriage

In 1981, guitarist Randy Rhoads predicted Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Arden would "probably get married someday" despite their bickering and Osbourne still being married to Thelma.

1981: Substance Misuse Impacts Band

Ozzy Osbourne's substance misuse caused friction within his band in 1981. Don Airey left the band due to Osbourne's substance issues. Rudy Sarzo detailed frustrations with Osbourne's inebriation.

January 1982: Bat Head-Biting Incident

On January 20, 1982, Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a bat during a performance at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa. He thought it was a rubber bat, but it was actually alive and bit him, leading to rabies treatment.

February 1982: Alamo Cenotaph Incident

On February 18, 1982, Ozzy Osbourne urinated on a cenotaph near the Alamo while drunk, leading to his arrest and a ban from San Antonio for a decade. He had fired his band earlier that day after they refused to participate in a live album.

March 1982: Death of Randy Rhoads

On March 19, 1982, Randy Rhoads, along with Andrew Aycock and Rachel Youngblood, died in a plane crash during the Diary of a Madman tour. The plane crashed while performing low passes over the band's tour bus, resulting in a deep depression for Ozzy Osbourne.

July 1982: Marriage to Sharon Arden

On July 4, 1982, Ozzy Osbourne married his manager, Sharon Arden. The couple later had three children together: Aimee, Kelly and Jack.

September 1983: Birth of Daughter Aimee

On September 2, 1983, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's first daughter, Aimee, was born.

May 1984: Arrest for Public Intoxication

In May 1984, Ozzy Osbourne was arrested in Memphis, Tennessee, for public intoxication.

October 1984: Birth of Daughter Kelly

On October 27, 1984, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's second daughter, Kelly, was born.

1984: Suicide Solution Controversy

In 1984, John McCollum committed suicide while listening to Ozzy Osbourne's song "Suicide Solution", which led to allegations that Osbourne promoted suicide in his songs. McCollum's parents sued Osbourne, but the courts ruled in Osbourne's favour.

November 1985: Birth of Son Jack

On November 8, 1985, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's son, Jack, was born. After Jack's birth, Osbourne had a vasectomy.

August 1987: Dio's comments on Replacing Ozzy

In an August 21, 1987 interview, Ronnie James Dio stated he would never be Ozzy Osbourne, emphasizing Osbourne's role in creating Black Sabbath's classic form.

August 1989: Alleged Attempt to Strangle Sharon

In August 1989, Sharon Osbourne claimed that Ozzy tried to strangle her after returning from the Moscow Music Peace Festival. This incident led to six months in rehabilitation for Ozzy.

1991: Waller v. Osbourne Lawsuit

In 1991, Ozzy Osbourne was sued by the parents of Michael Waller for $9 million, with similar allegations to the previous lawsuit regarding the song "Suicide Solution". The courts ruled in Osbourne's favour once again.

1992: Church of England Member

In 1992, The New York Times reported that Ozzy Osbourne was a practicing member of the Church of England and prayed before each show, despite accusations of being a Satanist.

1997: Reunion with Black Sabbath

In 1997, Ozzy Osbourne reunited with Black Sabbath, marking a significant moment in the band's history.

2001: Death of Ozzy's Mother

Ozzy Osbourne's mother, Lilian (née Unitt), died in 2001.

March 2002: The Osbournes Premiere

On March 5, 2002, The Osbournes, a reality television series featuring the domestic life of Ozzy Osbourne and his family, premiered on MTV and became one of the network's greatest hits.

2002: Diary of a Madman Booklet

According to Ozzy Osbourne in the booklet to the 2002 edition of Diary of a Madman, the bat he bit the head off in January 1982 was alive and bit him, resulting in Osbourne being treated for rabies.

2002: White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

In 2002, Ozzy Osbourne and wife Sharon were invited to the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. President George W. Bush noted Osbourne's presence and jokingly referenced his songs.

December 2003: Osbourne's Quad Bike Accident

On December 8, 2003, Ozzy Osbourne had an accident with his quad bike on his estate, resulting in broken bones and emergency surgery. He stopped breathing following the crash and was resuscitated.

2003: Medication Overdose

In 2003, Ozzy Osbourne revealed that he was nearly incapacitated by excessive medication prescribed by a Beverly Hills doctor. The doctor was later exonerated of excessive prescribing after a nine-year investigation.

2004: Rolling Stone Article

According to a 2004 Rolling Stone article, the bat that Ozzy bit the head off in January 1982 was alive at the time.

March 2005: The Osbournes Final Episode

On March 21, 2005, the final episode of the reality television series The Osbournes aired.

May 2005: Diagnosis of Parkin Syndrome

In May 2005, Ozzy Osbourne discovered that he had Parkin syndrome, a genetic condition with symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease. As a result, he would require daily medication for the rest of his life to manage involuntary shudders.

2005: Sunday Times Rich List Ranking

In 2005, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne ranked at number 458 in the Sunday Times Rich List, with an estimated £100 million earned from recording, touring, and TV shows.

July 2010: Trademark Dispute Resolution

In July 2010, Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi decided to discontinue court proceedings over the ownership of the Black Sabbath trademark, stating that the issue was never personal, always business.

October 2010: Genome Analysis Discussion at TEDMED Conference

In October 2010, at the TEDMED Conference, scientists from Knome discussed their analysis of Ozzy Osbourne's genome, revealing insights into his survival despite years of substance abuse.

2010: Driver's License Struggles

In 2010, during an interview on the Howard Stern Show, Ozzy Osbourne revealed that it took him 19 attempts to get his driver’s license due to being frequently drunk.

2010: Favorite Movie Mentioned

In a 2010 interview with Us Weekly, Ozzy Osbourne stated that his favourite movie is "Monty Python's Life of Brian".

2011: God Bless Ozzy Osbourne Documentary

In the 2011 documentary God Bless Ozzy Osbourne, Ozzy stated that the Beatles made him realize he was going to be a rock star.

January 2013: Minor Burns from House Fire

In January 2013, Ozzy Osbourne suffered minor burns after a small house fire.

April 2013: Relapse and Apology

In April 2013, Ozzy Osbourne admitted on Facebook that he had relapsed into smoking, drinking, and drug use for the past year and a half, citing a "very dark place." He apologized to Sharon, his family, friends, bandmates, and fans for his "insane" behaviour during that time and stated that he had been sober again since early March.

December 2013: 65th Birthday Charity Request

On December 3, 2013, Ozzy Osbourne's 65th birthday, he asked fans to celebrate by donating to the Royal Marsden cancer charity in London.

January 2016: The End Farewell Tour Began

In January 2016, Black Sabbath began a farewell tour, titled "The End", signifying the final performances of the band.

2016: Tram Named After Ozzy Osbourne in Birmingham

In 2016, a tram was named after Ozzy Osbourne in his hometown of Birmingham.

February 2017: The End Tour Final Shows

In February 2017, the final shows of The End tour took place at the Genting Arena in Birmingham, England on February 2 and 4, with Tommy Clufetos replacing Bill Ward as the drummer for the final show.

2017: Black Sabbath Farewell Tour Ends

In 2017, Black Sabbath's farewell tour, featuring Ozzy Osbourne, concluded with a final performance in their native Birmingham, marking the end of the band's touring career.

February 2018: No More Tours II Announced

In February 2018, Ozzy Osbourne announced that he would embark on his final world tour dubbed No More Tours II, a reference to his 1992 tour of the same name, with support from Stone Sour on the North American portion of the tour. However, he clarified that he would not retire entirely but would stop doing long world tours.

February 2019: Move to Intensive Care

By February 12, 2019, Ozzy Osbourne had been moved to intensive care due to complications from the flu. He also sustained serious injuries from a fall later in the month. Additionally, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in February 2019.

February 2019: Hospitalization and Tour Postponement

On February 6, 2019, Ozzy Osbourne was hospitalized due to flu complications, leading to the postponement of the European leg of his "No More Tours II" tour. The issue was described as a severe upper-respiratory infection that could develop into pneumonia.

January 2020: Parkinson's Disease Revelation

In January 2020, Ozzy Osbourne publicly revealed his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, which he was diagnosed with in February 2019.

February 2020: North American Tour Cancellation

In February 2020, Ozzy Osbourne cancelled the 2020 North American tour to seek treatment in Switzerland until April.

2020: Emphysema Revelation

In 2020, Ozzy Osbourne revealed that he had the smoking-induced lung condition, emphysema.

February 2021: Sobriety discussion with Jack Osbourne

In a February 2021 interview with Variety, Ozzy Osbourne and his son Jack Osbourne discussed their recovery. Ozzy revealed he had been sober for about seven years.

January 2023: No More Tours II European Leg Canceled

In January 2023, Ozzy Osbourne announced that the European leg of the No More Tours II would be canceled after almost two years of being postponed due to health reasons. This effectively marked his retirement from touring, although he planned to continue smaller-scale live performances as his health permitted.

February 2025: Final Show Announcement

On 5 February 2025, Ozzy Osbourne announced his final show alongside his band Black Sabbath, for a charity show at Villa Park in Birmingham on 5 July.