SHREVEPORT, La. — As tributes continue to pour in for the late Ozzy Osbourne, one well-known figure in Shreveport’s music and arts scene is sharing a personal story about the legendary rocker’s visit to the Port City.
Osbourne, famous for his loud, wild stage presence and groundbreaking music with Black Sabbath before finding success as a solo artist, performed at Hirsch Coliseum in the 1980s. It was around that time that local actor Ted Ferguson met him.
Ferguson, then general manager of a local radio station, often crossed paths with major rock stars. So he wasn’t surprised when Osbourne openly admitted to being deep into drugs. A mutual friend suggested Alcoholics Anonymous might help — and even brought Osbourne to an AA meeting during his time in Shreveport.
Ferguson remembers Osbourne as being very different offstage compared to his wild persona.
“You know, he’s not a weird guy,” Ferguson said. “He’s a normal person. I mean, he really is. It’s an act.” Ferguson continued, saying that many performers have their public persona and their private one…