John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter and television personality. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of the band Black Sabbath, widely considered to be the first heavy metal band. Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979 and has since had a successful solo career, releasing 11 studio albums, the first seven of which were all awarded multi-platinum certifications in the U.S. He has reunited with Black Sabbath on several occasions, recording the album 13 in 2013. Osbourne's longevity and success have earned him the informal title of "Godfather of Heavy Metal".
Osbourne's total album sales from his years in Black Sabbath, combined with his solo work, is over 100 million. As a member of Black Sabbath, he was inducted into the U.S. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame as a solo artist and as a member of the band. Osbourne has a star on the Birmingham Walk of Stars in his hometown as well as the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards he received the Global Icon Award. In the early 2000s, he became a TV star, appearing as himself in the MTV reality program The Osbournes, alongside wife/manager Sharon and two of their three children, Kelly and Jack.
Osbourne was born in Birmingham, England. His father, John Thomas "Jack" Osbourne (1915-1977), worked nightshifts as a toolmaker at GEC. His mother, Lillian, was Catholic but non-religious, and she worked days at a factory. Osbourne was the fourth of six children; he has three older sisters and two younger brothers: Jean, Iris, Gillian, Paul and Tony. The family lived in a small two-bedroom home at 14 Lodge Road in Aston. Osbourne has had the nickname "Ozzy" since primary school. (Full article...)