Ozzy Osbourne rose to prominence as a member of Black Sabbath, a heavy metal rock band. One common characteristic of rock and roll music is the loud guitar playing. Since Ozzy Osbourne is the lead singer and face of the band, was he also a fantastic guitarist?
Ozzy Osbourne doesn’t play the guitar.
Let’s find out more about Ozzy Osbourne and his history with instruments.
What Instrument Does Ozzy Osbourne Play?
Playing instruments is a fantastic way for vocalists to improve their singing, allowing them to quickly identify different musical ranges and perform excellently.
However, despite Ozzy Osbourne’s incredible vocal range, the singer does not play any instrument. The only talent he offered to the music world was his voice. And, we can’t complain as he gave us great hits like “Iron Man.”
It’s important to note, however, that the singer could play the harmonica, but not on a global stage.
Can Ozzy Osbourne Sing?
Popularly called the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne has an impressive vocal range. If you listen to his music, you will enjoy every bit of it because of how much passion he puts into delivering his lyrics.
Ozzy’s genre of music, rock, allows him to sound not so good. But if you listen long and hard enough, you would find out that most of what he does is sing hoarsely. He is also not a stranger to autotune, and his fans have been aware of his studio effects since the early 2000s.
Who would listen to a heavy metal rock song with intense riffs and runs? So, even if the singer didn’t have the “ideal” voice, he was still a commercial success.
Does Ozzy Osbourne Write His Songs?
Ozzy Osbourne may be a fantastic singer but not the best lyricist. The former Black Sabbath lead vocalist didn’t write his songs as well.
Contrary to what the world thought, there was a bass player, Bob Daisley, who did all the songwriting. Bob Daisley was Ozzy’s bass player after being fired from the Black Sabbath.
In Bob’s book For Facts Sake, the bassist claimed that he was the brain behind all the Blizzards of Ozz songs. He also went on to reveal that Randy Rhoads wrote the riffs. Well, Ozzy Osbourne effortlessly delivered the lyrics making people give him all the credit.
Who Plays the Guitar for Ozzy Osbourne?
It has been established that Ozzy Osbourne has zero experience with playing the guitar. His guitarist is Zakk Wylde.
Zakk Wylde is an American guitarist and leader of the Black Label Society, a heavy metal band. He’s famously spotted by his bull’s eye design which appears on all his guitars.
However, before Zakk Wylde, Ozzy Osbourne’s guitar player used to be Randy Rhoads. Sadly, he died in 1982 in a plane crash when he was 25 years old.
Who is Ozzy Osbourne’s Favorite Guitarist?
Even if Ozzy Osbourne doesn’t play the guitar, it didn’t stop him from having a favorite guitarist. During an interview, Ozzy revealed that his favorite guitarist is Randy Rhoads.
Although Randy is long gone, Ozzy still had nice things to say about him. He liked the guitarist because Rhoads allowed him to freely express himself. Randy Rhoads had classical music training, so he had a deep understanding of music.
Additionally, he was patient with Ozzy Osbourne and worked with him. He didn’t create a sound and expect the vocalist to follow. Instead, he allowed Ozzy to decide the direction of the music.
As such, the singer was deeply saddened that Randy Rhoads had to die at such a young age.
Who Played Guitar for Black Sabbath?
When Ozzy Osbourne was still with Black Sabbath in the early ’80s, he was the lead vocalist but never appeared with a guitar during concerts. The guitarist for the heavy metal band was Tony Iommi.
Tony Iommi was also the leader of Black Sabbath and the composer of their songs. He had immense talent and was ranked number 25 on the list of 100 Greatest Guitarists. Even if he was always in the background, his great guitar prowess earned him a strong reputation.
Decades after Black Sabbath broke up, he stayed back and became the sole member. Tony Iommi was indeed dedicated to his music.
Why Does Ozzy Osbourne Not Play Any Instrument?
Ozzy Osbourne has revealed that he regrets not learning how to play any instrument. But when he got the chance to learn to play the piano, he took a hard pass. Learning meant he was going to lose his ears for melody. So, he stuck with not playing any instrument except his vocals.