Zakk Wylde didn’t get to see Ozzy Osbourne after he left the ‘Back to the Beginning’ stage on July 5 in Birmingham, England. When his solo set concluded, Ozzy remained close to the stage for his final performance with Black Sabbath that was to follow. After the show was complete, backstage was a chaotic scene with the celebration of the historic day. Wylde tells ‘Guitar World’ that he received a text from Ozzy not long after leaving for the night; it was the last he would hear from Ozzy before the music icon passed away a few weeks later. “Zakky, sorry, it was like a madhouse back there. I didn’t see you. Thanks for everything.” Wylde has described getting hired by Ozzy in 1987 as the most significant moment of his life and career and a dream come true. He says Ozzy was like an older brother to him, and was the official godfather of his oldest son

Zakk Wylde’s final glimpse of Ozzy Osbourne came not onstage, but in a brief, heartfelt text that arrived amid the chaos of a historic night. On July 5 in Birmingham, England—Ozzy’s hometown—Wylde watched from the wings as the Prince of Darkness concluded his solo set during the “Back to the Beginning” concert. Ozzy then lingered near the stage to prepare for what would become his last performance ever with Black Sabbath.

Backstage, the atmosphere was a whirlwind of celebration, emotion, and disbelief. Technicians scurried to pack up pyrotechnics, bandmates embraced one another, and crew members wiped tears from their eyes, knowing they had witnessed a piece of rock ’n’ roll history. In the middle of it all, Wylde searched the throng for Ozzy—his friend, mentor, and brother in all but blood—but the evening’s madness kept them apart.

Later that night, as Zakk finally settled into his hotel room, his phone buzzed with a message from Ozzy:

> “Zakky, sorry, it was like a madhouse back there. I didn’t see you. Thanks for everything.”

It would be the last word Ozzy ever shared with Zakk. Weeks later, news of Ozzy Osbourne’s passing sent shockwaves through the music world and left Wylde grappling with profound loss. For Zakk, who first stepped onto Ozzy’s stage in 1987, the guitarist’s hiring represented a career-defining moment—a dream realized when his hero became his boss. Over nearly four decades, Ozzy guided Zakk through his early nightmares of stage fright and studio pressure, encouraged him through personal struggles, and stood as the official godfather to Zakk’s eldest son.

Reflecting on that final text, Wylde told *Guitar World*, “It felt so simple, yet it carried all the weight of our journey together. A quick apology and a thank-you—just like him, never grandiose, always genuine.” In that brief exchange, the Metal God reminded his protégé of the bond they shared: one built on riffs and road trips, laughter and late-night confessions.

As Wylde continues to honor Ozzy’s legacy—through concerts, interviews, and the next generation of musicians he inspires—the memory of that last message remains both a comfort and a call to carry the music forward. “He gave me everything,” Zakk says. “That text was him telling me, ‘Now it’s

your turn.’”