10 Hard Rock Musicians That Died Too Soon

As funny as it sounds in retrospect, Ozzy Osbourne was looked at as just a burnout when he was booted from Black Sabbath. With no real writing credits on the band's classic material and finding a world class vocalist in Ronnie James Dio, many assumed that Ozzy was damaged goods who would fade into obscurity.

Blasting back onto the scene with Blizzard of Ozz, a big reason why Osbourne was able to thrive was thanks to guitarist Randy Rhoads. By being one part flashy and one part technique, Rhoads' blend of classical runs and heavy metal riffs was the perfect compliment to Ozzy's harsh delivery. Just when Ozzy seemed to be back on top again, it all came crashing down during a tour stop in the States.

After parking for the night while on the road, the bus driver coaxed some of the band members to go with him on a joy ride in one of the planes they were using. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft slowly came crashing to the ground in a fiery blaze, killing everyone on board, including Rhoads. Though Osbourne would recover with future guitar heroes like Zakk Wylde and Jake E. Lee, the real heart of his first solo outings had been lost forever.