Ozzy Osbourne Postpones All 2019 Tour Dates As He Recovers From Fall At His Home
Ozzy Osbourne’s recent health problems are looking to set him back at least a year. The 70-year-old Black Sabbath frontman has been forced to postpone all of his 2019 tour dates while he recovers from an injury that was “sustained while dealing with his recent bout of pneumonia,” a statement on the singer’s official Instagram reads.
According to the statement, Osbourne will push back all of his scheduled 2019 shows in the U.S. and Europe to deal with an injury that occurred when he fell at his Los Angeles home while he was battling pneumonia and which aggravated previous injuries sustained in a near-fatal 2003 ATV accident. Osbourne underwent surgery after the new injury and will remain under a doctor’s care while he recovers in California.
The heavy metal icon also posted a personal message to fans in which he expressed his disappointment in having to reschedule even more tour dates after his difficult year.
“I can’t believe I have to reschedule more tour dates. Words cannot express how frustrated, angry and depressed I am not to be able to tour right now. I’m grateful for the love and support I’m getting from my family, my band, friends and fans, it’s really what’s keeping me going. Just know that I am getting better every day…I will fully recover…I will finish my tour…I will be back!”
While most of the rocker’s shows will be rescheduled starting in February of 2020, some of Ozzy’s missed festival appearances will have to be canceled altogether. Osbourne’s U.S. dates have been postponed until May of 2020, when he is now scheduled to kick things off with a show in Atlanta, Georgia.
Ozzy’s fans reacted to the tour postponement news on social media. Some fans wished the Prince of Darkness a speedy recovery, while others worried about the aging rocker, comparing him to Mick Jagger, who was also recently forced to postpone his band’s tour dates due to his health. You can see some of the fan reactions below.
Keeping my tickets until it's either fully cancelled or he dies.
— Darren McDuff (@darrenmcduff) April 4, 2019
Ozzy Osbourne has cancelled ALL concerts for 2019. He has given us his all, he owes we fans nothing at this point. I only want for him to concentrate on his health. God Bless Ozzy! #OzzyOsbourne
— Lou Brutus (@LouBrutus) April 4, 2019
Bad year for rock ‘n’ roll legends. First Mick Jagger & now Ozzy Osbourne. Wishing them both a quick and healthy recovery.
— SMB Project (SMBP) (@smbproject) April 4, 2019
@OzzyOsbourne and @RollingStones both postponing tours?! There are dark days ahead my friends…
— Army of Dorkness (@WombatAssassin) April 4, 2019
Ozzy has had several serious health scares over the past year. In addition to being hospitalized for pneumonia in February, the rock legend had emergency surgery for a dangerous hand infection that interrupted his touring schedule last fall, Ultimate Classic Rock notes.
While Osbourne has suffered some setbacks over the past year, the rock legend has always said he plans to rock until he drops. Osbourne previously told The Sun that he always thought he’d be dead by the time he was 40, until he turned 39 and decided he should maybe try to extend his life. Osbourne also said he will never completely retire from the music industry and that his career will only end when “a pine lid is being nailed to my box.”
Last year, Ozzy told The Guardian that the hardest thing for him about aging is that many of his peers have already passed.
“The hardest thing about getting old is all my good friends are dead,” Osbourne said.
“My problem, really, is I don’t remember I’m 70. I don’t really know what 70-year-old people are supposed to do. So I just do my own thing.”
