March 19 marks the anniversary of one of rock and roll’s most heartbreaking losses — the untimely death of legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads. On this day in 1982, Rhoads was killed in a tragic plane crash at just 25 years old, cutting short a career that had already cemented his place as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Today, Ozzy Osbourne shared a heartfelt tribute to his former bandmate and close friend, honoring his legacy and the indelible mark he left on music.
On this solemn anniversary, Osbourne took to social media to share an emotional message about his late bandmate: “Randy Rhoads was quite possibly the best composer & musician that I have ever met in my life. He came into my life like a bolt of lightning and as such he was gone again. I consider myself one of the luckiest men alive to have not only met him but also had the great honor of being able to work with him. I will cherish the time I spent with him till the day I die. LONG LIVE RANDY RHOADS. LONG LIVE ROCK N ROLL. I LOVE YOU ALL.”
Rhoads was traveling with Osbourne’s band during the Diary of a Madman tour when the accident occurred. The group had stopped in Leesburg, Florida, where their tour bus was parked near a small airstrip. The plane, piloted by the band’s tour bus driver Andrew Aycock, took off for what was supposed to be a brief joyride. With Rhoads and the band’s seamstress Rachel Youngblood aboard, the plane made several low passes over the tour bus before Aycock lost control. The aircraft clipped the vehicle, crashed into a nearby house, and exploded on impact, killing all three passengers instantly.
Despite his short career, Rhoads’ influence on rock and metal guitar playing remains profound. As a founding member of Quiet Riot and, later, the driving force behind Osbourne’s solo sound, he combined classical music techniques with high-energy metal, crafting some of the most iconic guitar riffs and solos of all time. His work on Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981) redefined heavy metal and introduced a new level of technical precision to the genre. Songs like “Crazy Train,” “Mr. Crowley,” and “Flying High Again” remain anthems of rock radio and showcase his extraordinary talent.
Osbourne has often spoken about how deeply Rhoads’ death affected him, and today’s tribute is yet another testament to the profound impact the young guitarist had — not only on Ozzy’s career but on rock music as a whole.
