Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on October 19th for the second time, this time as a solo artist. He was previously inducted as a member of BLACK SABBATH in 2006. The ceremony, which was shared across social media, featured a memorable introduction by actor and rock musician Jack Black.
Jack Black praised Ozzy, saying, “The greatest frontman in the history of rock and roll! The album cover of Blizzard of Ozz was the most metal thing I’d ever seen, but I didn’t even know what metal was. So I went back to Ozzy’s early BLACK SABBATH albums. And lo and behold, this motherf***er invented heavy metal! The darkest, heaviest thing anyone had ever heard!”
When Ozzy took the stage, he humbly expressed his gratitude: “I can’t believe I’m here. I don’t want to bore you with a long speech, so let me just say thank you. I want to thank everyone who voted for me as a solo artist for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. My fans have been so loyal over the years, and I can’t thank them enough. I’ve been fortunate to play with some of the best musicians in the world, but I have to say one thing—if I hadn’t met Randy Rhoads, I don’t think I’d be here. And to my wife, Sharon, who saved my life, and to my kids and grandkids, I love you all.”
The night continued with a thrilling performance. Backed by Metallica’s Robert Trujillo (bass), Chad Smith (drums) of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, Adam Wakeman (keys), and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Watt (guitar), a lineup of iconic musicians delivered electrifying renditions of Ozzy’s classics. Maynard James Keenan (vocals) of TOOL and Wolfgang Van Halen (guitar) performed “Crazy Train,” followed by Zakk Wylde (guitar) and country star Jelly Roll (vocals) on “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” The night concluded with Billy Idol (vocals) and Steve Stevens (guitar) joining the band for a powerful performance of “No More Tears,” leaving the audience in awe.
