BILL WARD On OZZY OSBOURNE: 'I Miss Him Every Single Day'

During Bill Ward's July 2026 show on LA Radio Sessions with Mike Stark, the BLACK SABBATH drummer paid tribute to his longtime bandmate, singer Ozzy Osbourne, who died on July 22, 2025. Bill said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Ozzy forever. That's what I wanted to say today. [He is] dearly missed. We're in the month now, the anniversary, of his passing, and I wanna say his music was just brilliant. Whatever he's participated in musically, it's all been brilliant. His voice is eerie. It's scary. It's passionate. It can cross all boundaries. It's timeless.

"I miss the hell out of him," Bill continued. "He was one of my best friends. I'll say just one of my best friends, 'cause my mum was another one of my best friends. My brother was another one of my best friends, but Ozzy was like a brother, and he was one of my best friends.

"If we'd had done this show a few months ago, I'd have been crying my eyeballs out," Ward admitted. "I think I'm at a place now where I'll cry after the show, but I'm doing my best to get through the show and not cry so that I can say good things about him. I never wanna let him down, ever. And I love him all the time. I love him every single day. I miss him every single day, and I loved him every day when he was alive, and I love him every day now."

Ozzy's death certificate revealed that he died of a heart attack. The certificate filed in London also said Osbourne suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease.

A private funeral service for Ozzy was held on July 31, 2025 on the 250-acre grounds of the house the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer and his wife bought in 1993 in Buckinghamshire, England. Only 110 of the singer's friends and family members attended the service, including his SABBATH bandmates, Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),Rob Zombie, Zakk Wylde, Marilyn Manson and Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT).

The day before the private funeral, thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy. Sharon, along with their children Aimée, Kelly and Jack, joined mourners for the emotional tribute.

A year ago, Ozzy reunited with the rest of the original BLACK SABBATH lineup — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — for what was his final performance at the "Back To The Beginning" charity concert in their original hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom.

At "Back To The Beginning", Ozzy played a five-song set with his solo band — consisting of guitarist Zakk Wylde, bassist Mike Inez, keyboardist Adam Wakeman and drummer Tommy Clufetos — before being joined by Iommi, Butler and Ward for four classic SABBATH songs: "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "N.I.B." and "Paranoid".

Ozzy's solo set consisted of four songs from Osbourne's 1980 solo debut album "Blizzard Of Ozz" — "I Don't Know", "Mr. Crowley", "Suicide Solution" and "Crazy Train" — along with his 1991 "No More Tears" ballad "Mama, I'm Coming Home".

The 76-year-old heavy metal singer sang while seated on a black throne and appeared overcome with emotion at times. "You have no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart," he told the crowd.

Earlier this month, the 78-year-old Ward announced on social media "somewhat sadly but nonetheless truthfully" that he has become more reliant on his wheelchair over the last 18 months. The post included a photo of a smiling Bill sitting in his chair.

"I've reached a place where publicly more and more I need to use a wheelchair, mostly in airports, or public events," he explained in the post. "I can still walk, let there be no doubt, but I can't walk very far without needing to rest, meaning I need to sit down."

Ward added that he "can still play pretty good" for his age, and fully plans to keep his music career alive despite his physical setbacks.

"My talents and ambitions, and my unyielding need to be artful, and to play drums, is still as strong as it was so many years ago now," he wrote. "I'm just saying if you see me in a wheelchair, I'm just catching a ride, I'm not in retirement or ill or giving up, or any of those thoughts that ignite when we see people in wheelchairs."

The legendary drummer said his goal in announcing his use of a wheelchair was to make himself "public and transparent" about his new mode of transportation, and to let fans know "I'm OK."

"If you see me in the airports or visiting friends in the music arenas or theatres say hi, I don't bite, I'll just look different, as pictured here," he wrote. "Much love to you all and I'll keep rocking until I'm dead. Rock forever and ever, Bill Ward."

He concluded: "And the secrets we hide, can be dangerous to our health, I'm letting transparency prevail, with love and progression."