Birmingham is paying tribute to one of its most legendary icons as Ozzy Osbourne is posthumously awarded the city’s highest civic recognition. On what would have been his 77th birthday, the late Black Sabbath frontman is being honoured with the Lord Mayor’s Award, celebrating his extraordinary contribution to Birmingham’s culture and global music history.
Kelly Osbourne Accepts Award on Ozzy’s Behalf
Ozzy’s daughter, Kelly Osbourne, will receive the award from Deputy Lord Mayor Ken Wood. She will also be presented with Birmingham’s books of condolence filled with thousands of messages written after Ozzy’s death in July.
Speaking to BBC Radio WM, Kelly grew emotional reflecting on the city’s love for her father.
“Birmingham is so special to him… I never expected the outpouring of love we received. There is no place like Brum,” she said.
On Instagram earlier, Kelly shared a heartfelt message:
“Happy birthday. I miss you, Daddy. I love you more than life itself.”
Tributes From Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy’s wife of 43 years, shared her own tribute online.
“I will never let go of your hand until I see you on the other side,” she wrote. “My darling husband, I celebrate the day you were born.”
Celebrating a Birmingham Legend
Ozzy Osbourne, born and raised in Aston, rose to global fame as the lead vocalist of Black Sabbath—the pioneering heavy metal band that helped define a generation of rock music. He later achieved huge success as a solo artist and reality television figure, becoming one of the most recognisable names in music history.
The Lord Mayor’s Award honours individuals who demonstrate exceptional service to the city. Ozzy is being recognised for shaping Birmingham’s identity through music, culture, and community pride.
“He was the people’s person… always the working-class hero,” Kelly said. “He never thought he was better than anybody else. He just loved making people happy.”
Calls to Name Birmingham Airport After Ozzy
Kelly also expressed hopes that her father will receive an even larger memorial in the city—suggesting that Birmingham Airport could one day be renamed after him.
“He deserves that so much. I would purposely fly into Ozzy Osbourne Airport every time, just to land somewhere named after my father.”
“Ozzy Forever”
The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Zafar Iqbal MBE, called Ozzy a “proud and much-missed son of Birmingham.”
“Having achieved worldwide success, he never forgot his Brummie roots,” he said. “Ozzy forever.”
The award follows a previous civic honour granting all four Black Sabbath members the Freedom of the City at Villa Park on 5 July, during their farewell concert Back to the Beginning. Fans later decorated the Black Sabbath Bridge with tributes after Ozzy’s death.
Kelly said accepting the award was bittersweet, knowing how much it meant to him:
“I wish he was here to receive this. It was one of his proudest moments.”
