Ozzy Osbourne announces retirement from touring. Rocker appeared in Fort Myers twice

Fort Myers News-Press

Heavy metal icon announced on Feb. 1, 2023 he's no longer be touring due to health issues. He performed twice in Fort Myers during his career and nearly a third time.

Fans of rocker Ozzy Osbourne were given a major dose of bad news on (Wednesday) Feb. 1. At least those fans hoping to see Osbourne perform on stage again.

It's not going to happen.

Osbourne, considered one of heavy metal's greatest pioneers, announced on Twitter that due to health challenges he is not "physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates."

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Osbourne is 74. He had a major accident four years ago in which he damaged his spine and that he can no longer cope with the travel required for a tour.

Osbourne did perform two shows in Fort Myers in the early 1980s and almost a third time in 2018 Here's a closer look at Osbourne's time in Southwest Florida:

Ozzy Osbourne Fort Myers concert: Sept. 12, 1981

TOUR: Blizzard of Ozz

VENUE: Lee County Civic Center

DID YOU KNOW?: According to the website Setlist.fm, Osbourne and his band performed 12 songs that night plus one encore. The set opened with "I don't know" and was followed by one of Osbourne's most popular songs, "Crazy Train." The show ended with three Black Sabbath songs, including the encore, "Paranoid."

In 1968, Osbourne co-founded Black Sabbath. He was the lead singer of the band until 1979. In 1980, he released his debut solo album "Blizzard of Ozz."

Ozzy Osbourne on stage during Ozzfest in July 2001 concert in Indianapolis.

Ozzy Osbourne Fort Myers concert: Feb. 24, 1983

TOUR: Speak of the Devil

VENUE: Lee County Civic Center

DID YOU KNOW?: The North American leg of the tour began in Syracuse, New York on February 11. The following night's show at a Catholic community center in Scranton, Pennsylvania was cancelled after protests from parents and local community leaders. Similar protests led to the cancellation of a later show in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The North Fort Myers show was the second of three stops in Florida (Lakeland the night before and Pembroke Pines the night after).

Fort Rock (2018)

DID YOU KNOW?: Osbourne headlined the annual Fort Rock concert that for the six previous years had been held at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers. Concert organizer AEG Presents had announced the year before it was moving Fort Rock from Fort Myers to Fort Lauderdale.

The News-Press entertainment reporter Charles Runnells provides more details on what could have been Osbourne's third Fort Myers appearance in this story.