Ozzy Osbourne's Final Text Message to His Longtime Guitarist Zakk Wylde

A text exchange between the heavy metal icon and his accompanying musician revealed the deep personal bond behind decades of thunderous guitar riffs and arena-filling anthems.

Zakk Wylde, longtime guitarist and confidant to Ozzy Osbourne, shared the final message he received from the rock legend during an interview published on July 29, 2025. The text, sent after Osbourne's final performance on July 5 in Birmingham, England, marked the end of a decades-long musical and personal journey between the two.

During Wylde's conversation with Guitar World, he was asked about the last time he spoke with Osbourne. The guitarist explained that there were too many people in the dressing room with the rock legend after the "Back to the Beginning" concert.

As a result, he didn't get the chance to see him in person. Instead, Wylde received a final message from the icon that read, "Zakky, sorry, it was like a madhouse back there. I didn't see you."

In the exchange, Osbourne also thanked him for his work. "It was just us talking, saying, 'I love you, buddy.' That was it," Wylde continued.

That day, the guitarist had also made a point of giving the rock star space backstage, as he was aware of Osbourne's condition but couldn't have predicted he would be gone so soon.

Despite not getting to talk to him in person, the guitarist considers himself "blessed" for being there that day. "It was definitely pretty amazing. Seeing Oz onstage when Sabbath got done, that's the last time I saw him," he said, and applauded the icon for hosting his farewell show for charity.

Osbourne played with many talented guitarists over the years, including Tony Iommi, Jake E. Lee, and Randy Rhoads, but the New Jersey native came into the scene in 1987. He contributed to several of Osbourne's albums throughout the late '80s and early '90s.

Wylde worshiped Black Sabbath and was heavily inspired by the guitarists who came before him. He viewed Osbourne as "an older brother" and as someone he could always talk to. Their work together flowed naturally.

They collaborated intermittently throughout the 1990s and 2000s, before Wylde rejoined him in 2017 for the "No More Tours II" tour. Additionally, he was by Osbourne's side during his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.

When Guitar World asked where Wylde might be had he never landed the opportunity to work with Osbourne, the guitarist explained that he would always want to earn his living through music.

"If I didn't have Oz, without a doubt, I'd continue playing… but it's how Ozzy would say what The Beatles did for him, you know?" he continued. "What he gave me with Sabbath, and then with Randy and Jake, it's a beacon of light. It gives you purpose. So even if I hadn't played with him, he gave me purpose to be a musician. And without a doubt, that'll always be with me."

On July 22, Osbourne's family announced his death in a post shared on his Instagram account. A funeral procession, which was live-streamed, took place on Wednesday, July 30, in Birmingham, where his fans and everyone who loved him got to pay him a final tribute.

Videos and photos of the event have been posted on Osbourne's social media. One clip captured the hearse and other cars moving through the streets, led by a local brass band. The caption reads, "Ozzy forever!"

A carousel post included images of the massive crowd of fans who gathered to pay their respects. Some photos feature the Osbournes, who all appeared visibly emotional.

A close-up shot of the hearse shows that the flower arrangement over the casket spelled "Ozzy." Another image showed a fan wearing a black leather jacket with an image of the rock icon on the back.