Many people have wondered if Joan Osborne, the singer of the hit song “One of Us”, is related to Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary metal icon and reality TV star. The rumor has been around for a long time, but is there any truth to it? Here’s what we know.
Who is Joan Osborne?
Joan Osborne is an American singer, songwriter, and interpreter of music, who has recorded and performed in various popular American musical genres including rock, pop, soul, R&B, blues, and country. She was born on July 8, 1962, in Anchorage, Kentucky, a suburb of Louisville. She moved to New York City in the late 1980s to study filmmaking at New York University, but she soon discovered her passion for music and started singing at open mic nights and nightclubs. She formed her own record label, Womanly Hips, in 1991 and released her first full-length album, Soul Show: Live at Delta 88. She signed a major label deal with Mercury Records in 1994 and released her second album, Relish, in 1995. Relish became a worldwide hit and earned her seven Grammy Award nominations, thanks to the success of the single “One of Us”, written by Eric Bazilian of The Hooters. The song was a philosophical inquiry about God’s nature and reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Osborne also had minor hits with “Right Hand Man” and “St. Teresa” from the same album. She has since released several more albums, exploring different musical styles and collaborating with various artists. She has toured with Motown sidemen The Funk Brothers and was featured in the documentary film about them, Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002). She has also performed with The Dead, Trigger Hippy, Phil Lesh and Friends, and Mavis Staples. She is currently working on a new album of original songs.
Who is Ozzy Osbourne?
Ozzy Osbourne is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality, who is widely regarded as one of the most influential and iconic figures in heavy metal music. He was born on December 3, 1948, in Aston, Birmingham. He rose to fame as the lead vocalist of the pioneering band Black Sabbath in the 1970s, which helped create the genre of heavy metal with their dark and doom-laden sound. He was fired from the band in 1979 due to his substance abuse issues and embarked on a successful solo career. He released his debut solo album, Blizzard of Ozz, in 1980, which featured the classic songs “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley”. He has since released eleven more solo albums, selling over 100 million records worldwide. He has also collaborated with many other artists, such as Randy Rhoads, Zakk Wylde, Lita Ford, Slash, Post Malone, and Elton John. He is known for his wild and controversial antics on and off stage, such as biting the head off a bat and a dove, urinating on the Alamo, and being accused of promoting Satanism. He has also starred in his own reality TV show with his family called The Osbournes (2002-2005), which was a huge hit and showed a different side of his personality. He has been married twice: first to Thelma Riley from 1971 to 1982, with whom he had two children (Jessica and Louis) and adopted one (Elliot); and second to Sharon Arden from 1982 to present, with whom he had three children (Aimee, Kelly, and Jack). He has also become a grandfather to eight grandchildren.
The short answer is no. Joan Osborne and Ozzy Osbourne are not related by blood or marriage. They have different backgrounds, different spellings of their last names (Osborne vs Osbourne), and different musical styles. They have never met or collaborated with each other. The rumor that they are related probably stems from their similar-sounding names and their fame in the music industry. However, there is no evidence or connection that links them as family members.
Conclusion
Joan Osborne and Ozzy Osbourne are both talented and successful musicians who have made their mark on popular culture. However, they are not related in any way. They are simply two artists who share a common surname but have very different lives and careers.
