Sir Rod Stewart paid an emotional tribute to fellow rock legend Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away on Tuesday, aged 76.
The 'Maggie May' singer took to social media to express his thoughts at this sad time.
Rod's tribute
The 80-year-old singer-songwriter posted the message on his Instagram, with white writing on a black background. While the look was simple, the message touched the hearts of his fans.
"Bye, bye Ozzy. Sleep well, my friend. I'll see you up there - later rather than sooner," the 80-year-old musician wrote.
© GettyRod's fans flocked to the comments to admire the message and add their own tributes.
"Rest in peace, Ozzy. And Rod, this is the fate of all of us, but please, find him later, much later," one fan wrote, while another penned, "Keep on rocking Sir Rod, RIP Prince of Darkness."
The two musicians had great respect for each other, appearing on stage together at the late Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee 'Party at the Palace' celebration.
© Shutterstock1. Largest free concert
Rod staged the largest free rock concert ever in Rio de Janeiro in 1994, performing in front of over 4 million people.
2. Most successful song
Amongst his many songs, Rod's top-selling single is 'Maggie May', released in 1971. The song launched his career and reached number one in the UK.
3. Two-time cancer survivor
Rod was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in May 2000, and he underwent surgery in the same month. Then, in 2017 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but after having treatment, he was given the all-clear.
4. High net worth
It's no surprise that Rod has made money with his successful career and his net worth is estimated at around £179 million.
5. Son-father arrest
In 2019, Rod and his son Sean were arrested in Florida over a dispute with a security guard at a hotel. The guard allegedly denied them access to a private party on New Year's Eve. Rod pleaded guilty to charges of ''simple battery'' but was not found guilty.
A brilliant life and career
Ozzy was born in 1948 in Birmingham and first rose to fame in the late 1960s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Although he was fired from the band in 1979, the band's original line-up reunited in 1997.
© GettyOzzy also had a fantastic solo career with hits like 'Crazy Train' and 'Mr. Crowley', cementing his status as a metal legend. He was known for his wild persona and theatrical stage presence, and became a pop culture icon through the reality TV show “The Osbournes”, which offered a look inside his family life.
© Getty Images1. Meeting Sharon
Ozzy first met Sharon in 1970 when she was 18 years old and her father was managing his band, Black Sabbath. However, their romantic relationship didn't start until years later when Sharon took over managing Ozzy's career.
2. His first tattoo
His famous 'OZZY' tattoo on the knuckle of his left hand was done by himself.
3. Bat incident
In 1982, Ozzy bit the head off a bat while onstage. He later claimed he thought the animal was a rubber toy thrown to him by the crowd and never intended to hurt it.
4. Driver's license
Ozzy got his driver's license later in life when he was 60 years old. He had to take the test around 19 times to actually pass.
5. Taunting nickname
His nickname ''Ozzy'' was actually a taunt by his school friends growing up before it became his stage name.
Ozzy's passing
Ozzy passed away on Tuesday following a battle with Parkinson's disease, which lasted several years. According to a statement from his family, he died at home with his wife and children around him.
"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," the statement read. "He was with his family and surrounded by love.
"We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time."
© GettyOzzy's death came just weeks after his wildly successful farewell show with Black Sabbath in Birmingham, with Ozzy joining bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for a performance in front of 42,000 fans at Villa Park.
Sir Rod Stewart was joined by many other stars in paying tribute to the 'Prince of Darkness', including Sir Elton John, Jason Momoa, and Sir David Beckham.
