With thousands packing into Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Ozzy Osbourne ended his career on stage with one final performance. Wanting nothing more than to give fans one last performance with the original Black Sabbath lineup, the heavy metal band showcased their impact on the genre as groups like Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, and more took part in the farewell concert. Besides being the end of Osbourne’s career, the concert was promoted as a charity event. And according to musical director Tom Morello, the show raised nearly $200 million.
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Not wanting fans to believe Osbourne’s final performance was a cash grab, the organizers promoted it as a charity event. Having produced an amazing career in the music industry, Ozzy wanted to use the moment to help those in need. Sharing a post on Instagram, Morello shared a collage of pictures of him with numerous stars at the concert. But the picture that stood out the most, explained, “More than 190 million dollars will be donated to houses and hospitales for children.”
Tom Morello Thankful That Ozzy Osbourne Trusted Him As Musical Director
Outside of helping raise a staggering amount of money for charity, Morello thanked the Osbourne family for entrusting him with putting the show together. “THANKYOU Ozzy Osbournefor trusting me to be the Musical Director of the “Back To The Beginning” show. It was over a year of hard work but heavy metal was the music that made me love music and it was a labor of love. We raised a ton of money for a great cause and so many great musicians & bands & fans all over the world paid tribute to the ALL TIME greats.”
With Ozzy needing several surgeries over the last few years, the Prince of Darkness focused on getting in shape for his final performance. Not using the moment to shine a light on himself, the singer looked to thank fans who helped his career shine for nearly six decades.
When looking out at the thousands of fans in attendance, Ozzy insisted, “It’s so good to be on this f***ing stage. Let the madness begin! You’ve got no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
(Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
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