Fans of the legendary musician Ozzy Osbourne have called on Birmingham International Airport to be renamed in his honour.
The Black Sabbath frontman died on July 22 at the age of 76, just weeks after completing a farewell show with the original line-up of Black Sabbath. Fans have since organised a petition to rename the airport as a tribute to Osbourne. It would not be the first time an airport’s name has been changed to honour a late star from the area, with John Lennon Airport in Liverpool cited as an example from the petition organiser. A petition on Change.org is hoping the airport name will be changed as a way of celebrating “the legacy of Ozzy Osbourne and the incredible influence” the city has on some of music’s all-time greatest bands.
The Change.org post reads: “Ozzy Osbourne is the most important musician ever to hail from Birmingham. He rose to fame as the lead vocalist of the pioneering rock band Black Sabbath, which invented the genre of heavy metal. Ozzy’s influence on music and culture is undeniable. Naming our international airport after him would be a fitting tribute to his extraordinary career and contributions to the arts.
“Other airports in the UK are named after their famous children (George Best International Airport in Belfast, John Lennon Airport in Liverpool), so it is only right that we do this here in Birmingham, in honour of Ozzy.
“Together, we can celebrate the legacy of Ozzy Osbourne and the incredible influence our city has had on the world stage, thanks to him.” The petition has 2,330 signatures at time of writing.
It comes as musicians from around the globe pay tribute to Osbourne. A statement from his family confirmed he had died the morning of July 22. The post reads: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
Guitarist Stevie Van Zandt paid tribute to the War Pigs and Paranoid singer in a post to Twitter, sharing that Osbourne is an “irreplaceable” musician. The E Street Band guitarist wrote: “RIP Ozzy. One of a kind. We opened for him once.
“Him and the band as nice as can be. I’d only run into him every 5 years or so and he always made a point to say hello. Did his wife Sharon’s TV show and she was wonderful also. Deepest condolences to Sharon, Aimee, Kelly, and Jack. Irreplaceable legend.”
Fellow Black Sabbath band member Tony Iommi posted a collection of photos from his and Osbourne’s time on stage and paid tribute to his “dear friend”.
He wrote on Twitter: “I just can’t believe it! My dear dear friend Ozzy has passed away only weeks after our show at Villa Park. It’s just such heartbreaking news that I can’t really find the words, there won’t ever be another like him. Geezer, Bill and myself have lost our brother. My thoughts go out to Sharon and all the Osbourne family. Rest in peace Oz.”
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