VIDEO: Carrie Underwood Cover of Ozzy Osbourne Feels Like a Touching Tribute Now

Many people know Carrie Underwood as a country singer and an “American Idol” judge, but she’s also a big fan of the late rock legend Ozzy Osbourne. In a resurfaced video posted on TikTok just weeks before Osbourne’s death, Underwood delivered a stunning rendition of “Mama, I’m Comin’ Home” on an episode of The Howard Stern Show. Although the performance originally occurred in 2023, it feels like a fitting tribute now in the wake of the “Black Sabbath” frontman’s tragic passing.

Underwood put her own spin on the song, which, as Stern noted, Osbourne wrote for his wife Sharon. Osbourne’s family held a funeral for him in his native England after his passing in late July 2025, and fans came out in droves to bid the legendary singer one last goodbye.

Underwood Got Permission to Cover The Song

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Many singers cover hit songs as a way to pay tribute to other artists, but Underwood didn’t feel comfortable singing “Mama, I’m Comin’ Home” without consulting Osbourne’s family. “Any time I’m going to cover somebody, I want their blessing,” Underwood explained to Stern. “I would never want somebody to be like, ‘Man, I don’t like her, so no.'” She went on to share that, for her, asking permission is a matter of respect.

Luckily for Underwood fans, the Osbournes gave her the green light. “Sharon was very sweet about it,” the singer said. In a YouTube clip from the episode, Stern was so impressed with the performance that he asked Underwood and the studio band to re-sing the song’s final harmony acapella.

The ‘Idol’ Judge Has Been an Osbourne Fan For Decades

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Underwood’s love for Osbourne’s music started very early in life. “I very much remember being a teenager, kind of discovering my own music tastes,” she told Stern. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Underwood’s mom wasn’t thrilled with her daughter’s newfound love of the “Black Sabbath” front man. However, she explained that teenage rebellion wasn’t her only reason for embracing his sound.

“I was like, ‘I feel like you need to listen to some of these lyrics,'” she recalled telling her mom. For Underwood — and many Osbourne fans — his dimension is a big draw. “There’s a lot of love songs, and things that are a lot more melodic and sweet,” she explained.