Short and sweet seemed to be the order of the day when Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday night.
The Black Sabbath legend was greeted on stage by actor and singer Jack Black as the event began at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland.
Ozzy, who is battling Parkinson’s disease, arrived on a throne adorned with bat wings as he accepted his second induction into the Hall of Fame.
The self-styled Prince of Darkness had previously been inducted in 2006 as a member of iconic heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath.
Shortening his speech on Saturday, Ozzy thanked voters, his fans and his family for supporting him throughout a colorful career spanning more than 50 years.
Short and sweet seemed to be the order of the day when Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday night.
The Black Sabbath legend was greeted on stage by actor and singer Jack Black as the event began at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland.
Ozzy, who is battling Parkinson’s disease, arrived on a throne adorned with bat wings as he accepted his second induction into the Hall of Fame.
He said, ‘Well, here we are. Did you know? I can’t believe I’m here. Let me leave out the thanks, because I’m not going to bore you with a long, drawn-out monologue.
‘I would like to thank those who voted me into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for my solo work. Thank you so much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.’
He added: “My fans have been so loyal to me over the years that I can’t thank them enough.” “I’ve been lucky enough to play with some of the best guitarists, drummers and bassists in the world over the years, and some of them are here tonight.”
Ozzy also paid tribute to his former guitarist Randy Rhoads; a fundamental member of the singer’s band after his departure from Black Sabbath.
Rhoads periodically admonished him for his drug and alcohol use before he tragically died in a plane crash in 1982, when he was just 25 years old.
He added: “But I have to say one thing about a guy named Randy Rhoads. If I hadn’t met Randy Rhoads, I don’t think I’d be sitting here right now.
And more than that, my wife Sharon. He saved my life. And my grandchildren and my babies. I love you all.’
Introducing Ozzy in front of a star-studded audience, Black admitted that listening to his music as a child influenced his own musical direction with Tenacious D.
“I remember the first time I heard about Ozzy,” he recalled. ‘I was 13 and wandering around the record store. What should I get? Stygian? Journey? An older rock fan noticed my indecision and said, “Stop fucking around, kid. This is the album you need, Blizzard of Ozz.”
In a brief acceptance speech, Ozzy thanked his family for their support (pictured Saturday night with wife Sharon and son Jack).
Ozzy also paid tribute to his former guitarist Randy Rhoads; A fundamental member of the singer’s band after his departure from Black Sabbath, he died in a plane crash in 1982 at only 25 years old.
Ozzy’s daughter Kelly also attended the event in Cleveland, Ohio, on Saturday night.
Jack Black seemed absolutely delighted to bring Ozzy Osbourne into the Rock Hall.
‘Man, I was right!’ Thank you, nameless rock fan, wherever you are, you changed my life. I remember looking at the album cover in Ozzy’s face before I even heard the music. I was paralyzed.
“He looked so cool, that red and white suit with white fringe on the sleeves, that crazy look in his eyes, the skull, the cross. Holy shit. It all looked so badass.
‘It was the most metallic thing I had ever seen in my life, and I didn’t even know what metal was. He was teaching me. I didn’t realize I was entering a whole new world of heavy metal music.
Initially, there were hopes that Ozzy would perform, but several health issues, including Parkinson’s disease, spinal problems that resulted in a fourth surgery in 2023, and pain from his ATV accident in 2003, derailed any chances.
As a result, he remained seated on a black throne fit for a rock god throughout the entire Ozzy tribute celebration.
Black seemed to be in absolute heaven as the man who officially inducted Osbourne into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Sitting on his throne, Osbourne received a standing ovation as he accepted his award.
Kelly and Jack with their daughters Andy and Minnie on the red carpet at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony Saturday night.
The British rocker watched as Black talked about loving Ozzy and Black Sabbath.