In the aftermath of Ozzy Osbourne‘s death, his sisters Jean Powell and Gillian Hemming have granted their first interview speaking on the brother that they knew.
Hemming invited The Mirror to her home where the sisters shared their admiration for all that their brother had accomplished, but also spoke of the musician remaining true to the nature of the sibling they grew up with despite his fame.
The Sisters Were in Attendance for Back to the Beginning
“We saw him in Birmingham the other week when he and the rest of the band were given the freedom of the city,” Powell shared. “It was upsetting because he could not stand up straight, but he was still our John, still cracking the jokes.”
“We last saw him at the concert at Villa Park. I got a text off him as he drove down Lodge Road, where we used to live near the stadium,” she later added, referring to the Back to the Beginning concert on July 5. “He said he couldn’t believe all the crowds were walking down our old street to watch him perform. He was blown away.”
She continued, “We had an executive box in the stadium, and when I saw the sea of people waiting to see our John I just broke down. We didn’t really get a chance to chat much because it was such a chaotic visit. But in his last text to me he said he would be coming to Birmingham again. He said ‘I can’t wait to come back.’ We were hoping to see him this week.”
The Sisters Remember Their Brother John Michael Osbourne
“To us he was our brother, not a celebrity, so it’s crazy to see the outpouring of love since his death was announced,” Powell shared of the Black Sabbath frontman. “We just can’t believe he is gone and we won’t be getting another phone call or text from him. Every week without fail he would get in touch, either by phone or text, to ask how we were all doing and what was going on. Of the six siblings there’s only three of us left now – me, Gillian and our brother Paul.”
“He was frail but it still came as a shock,” she added. “He still had plans and things he wanted to do. We don’t know the details of his death, it’s still too early. It’s just so sad. I’m just thankful he died in England.”
Hemming commented, “We were proud as punch about him and everything he achieved. But it never went to his head. What the public saw of John was exactly what he was like in real life. It wasn’t an act,” before Powell added, “He was just our John. He used to make us laugh all the time. That’s what I’ll always remember.”
When asked to describe their brother in one sentence, Hemming stated, “He was loving and funny. He was just great.”
The sisters then shared a memory from their youth of Ozzy “minding” supporters vehicles outside the Villa Park venue while matches were going on inside.
“He would wait until the final whistle went and then stood outside, pretending he had minded them the whole match,” Powell recalled.
Ozzy Osbourne died 17 days after his final performance with Black Sabbath. Tributes have continued to roll in from the rock and metal community as well as fans. John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne was 76.
Photos: Ozzy Osbourne Through the Years
We celebrate the life and legacy of Ozzy Osbourne — The Prince of Darkness — with a gallery of photos from his life and career through the years.
Gallery Credit: Loudwire Staff
