Sharon Osbourne recalls Ozzy's final concert defiance on first anniversary

A year after the death of heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne, his widow Sharon has marked the first anniversary with a visit to his hometown of Birmingham, where the city held its inaugural Ozzy Day. Sharon revealed that doctors had told Ozzy he was dying two weeks before his final concert, but he insisted on performing. Source: CNN

Final concert defiance

Ozzy, who had Parkinson's Disease and was 76, performed his "Back to the Beginning" show at Villa Park stadium on July 5 last year, sitting in a throne-like chair. According to Sharon, doctors urged him not to go ahead, but he replied, 'Yeah, right. Get out of here.' The concert reunited Black Sabbath's original members and featured legends like Metallica and Guns N' Roses. Sharon described the show as a 'gift' that made Ozzy 'the happiest I had ever seen him' in his final weeks. Source: CNN

Message to fans

In an interview with BBC Radio WM, Sharon asked fans to remember Ozzy 'how funny he was - funny and charismatic and real.' She echoed his own words: 'When you want to remember me, just yank up the music really loud, as loud as you can get it, and just head bang.' The celebration in Birmingham included a free event honoring the Black Sabbath frontman who never forgot his roots. Source: BBC