Overview

• Geezer Butler’s Sunday Times essay describes Ozzy arriving at rehearsals helped by two assistants, a nurse and using a gold-studded cane as he grew exhausted after six or seven songs
• The July 5 ‘Back to the Beginning’ concert at Villa Park saw Osbourne perform seated on a specially built throne and raised nearly $200 million for Parkinson’s research and children’s charities
• Tony Iommi and Bill Ward have published their own tributes highlighting Ozzy’s humor, generosity and the unbreakable bond formed over nearly six decades
• Osbourne died on July 22 at age 76, just over two weeks after the farewell show, triggering fan memorials, celebrity homages and plans for posthumous releases
• Sharon Osbourne and surviving bandmates are preparing public and private events to honor his legacy and support further charity initiatives