“I Bawled My Eyes Out”: Halford’s Heartfelt Reaction to Ozzy’s Passing

Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford has opened up about the devastating moment he learned of Ozzy Osbourne’s passing, describing an overwhelming wave of grief that left him in tears for hours.

In a recent appearance on Talkin’ Rock With Meltdown, the 73-year-old metal icon recalled receiving the news while touring the UK. Osbourne, the legendary Black Sabbath vocalist, passed away at the age of 76 on July 22 at his home in Buckinghamshire following a heart attack.

“I’d just hung up the phone in my hotel room—pretty sure I was in Leeds—and I just curled up and bawled my eyes out for hours,” Halford said. “I couldn’t believe it. Honestly, I still can’t. I’m still grieving, just like so many others.”

Honoring a Legend on Stage

Despite the emotional blow, Halford and Judas Priest continued with their scheduled UK tour dates. At each show, they paid tribute to Osbourne by updating the video visuals for their 2024 track Giants in the Sky. The new backdrop featured a photo of Osbourne, joining the song’s existing tributes to late rock legends such as Freddie Mercury, Ronnie James Dio, Paul Di’Anno, and others.

“I told the crowd, it’s almost impossible to process all this pain and love at once,” Halford continued. “But Ozzy would’ve wanted us to keep going. He always said, ‘Let’s party. Let’s rock and roll. Let’s live it up.’ That was who he was—pure joy and spirit.”

Halford described Osbourne as “the embodiment of kindness,” adding that after every shared performance, Ozzy would always ask him, “Did you have a good time?”

Missing the Final Goodbye

Osbourne’s death came just 17 days after Back to the Beginning, an all-day charity event in Birmingham that also served as his farewell concert. The show featured Osbourne performing both solo and alongside fellow Black Sabbath co-founders Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—their first public performance together since 2005. The event also included an all-star lineup featuring Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Gojira, and more.

Judas Priest were notably absent due to a prior commitment in Germany, where they were performing at the Scorpions’ 60th-anniversary concert in Hannover. Speaking to Metal Hammer in May, Halford admitted he was heartbroken to miss Osbourne’s final show.

“I got a call from Sharon [Osbourne] saying, ‘Robbie, I know you’ve got this Scorpions show, but could you come for Ozzy? He’d love to see you,’” Halford recalled. “Even with a private jet, there’s always the risk of delays—technical issues, bad weather. I was absolutely gutted I couldn’t be there.”

Looking ahead, Judas Priest are scheduled to tour North America from September through October and are set to headline the 2026 edition of Bloodstock Open Air in Derbyshire.