Just last Tuesday, Ozzy Osbourne, or "The Prince of Darkness," passed away surrounded by family and friends at the age of 76. His legacy as a heavy metal pioneer and cultural icon impacted many, including Bret Michaels, who shared a heartfelt message about the singer on social media recently.
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Micheals was also a massive part of the Metal scene during the 80s, and had a significant influence on the "hair metal" scene at the time. He's known for his work with the band Poison, who sold millions of albums and had a No. 1 with "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" in 1988.
" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;margin: 1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:99.375%;width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);width:calc(100% - 2px)">His message was directed towards Sharon Osbourne, the late heavy metal icon's widow. "To my sweet Sharon and family on this day and every day - my heart, soul, and prayers are with you." The singer also tagged Ozzy's account, saying, "@ozzyosbourne, thank you for the awesomeness you brought us and may you forever and always rest in peace." Micheals paired the caption with a blurry picture of himself and Sharon on the red carpet in 2012.
The day that Micheals shared his condolences on Instagram, July 30th, was also the day that Ozzy Osbourne was put to rest at his funeral, surrounded by thousands of fans. In the singer's birthplace, Birmingham, the birthplace of Black Sabbath, a procession was held to honor his life and legacy. Through his years of battling Parkinson's and various diseases, Osbourne always said that he didn't want his funeral to be a "mope-fest," and his fans made sure it wouldn't be. Thousands of heavy metal fans dressed in purple and black filled the streets of Birmingham that day, chanting Ozzy's name softly as his hearse made its way through the crowd.
The hearse, which was decked out in purple flowers to spell out the singer's name, passed his childhood home at Lodge Road, Aston, before making its way towards the center of the city. Sharon Osbourne and Ozzy's children even stepped through the crowd of tributes and made their way to the Black Sabbath bench, a tribute to the iconic band, which many fans had decorated with flowers and gifts for the late Ozzy.
Later that day, a private procession was held at his mansion in Buckinghamshire, England, where he was buried in accordance with his wishes. In attendance were his wife, children, and many iconic figures of the music community, including Elton John, James Hatfield, and other members of Black Sabbath.
Photo by: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic
