Birmingham is preparing to honor Ozzy Osbourne with a special award for his profound impact on the city’s cultural and musical identity. The Lord Mayor’s Award, one of the city’s highest civic honours, will be presented to his family posthumously on Wednesday – the 77th birthday of the famous rock icon.
A condolence book signed by thousands of fans from around the world will also be presented to the Osbourne family in a special ceremony.
A statement released on behalf of the family read, “The people of Birmingham loved him very much. It is a great pleasure to see the impact he left in his hometown and how he continues to inspire new generations.” Aston-born Osbourne achieved international fame as the vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath; he then became a global icon, surpassing even the band’s success with his solo career. He passed away in July at the age of 76, just 17 days after Sabbath’s farewell concert, “Back to the Beginning.” On the day of his funeral, thousands of fans bid farewell to Osbourne’s coffin with applause in the streets of Birmingham. Since July, the Working Class Hero exhibition at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery has welcomed approximately 400,000 visitors.Birmingham Mayor Zafar Iqbal MBE said, “Ozzy will be the pride of our city and a son we will forever miss. Although he achieved worldwide success, he never forgot his Brummie roots. It is a great honor to present this award to his family.”
This award follows the granting of honorary Birmingham citizenship to Black Sabbath members Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Terence “Geezer” Butler and Bill Ward in June.
