Bill Ward Announces Wheelchair Use While Continuing His Life As A Drummer

Black Sabbath founding drummer Bill Ward has told fans he is increasingly using a wheelchair in public settings, explaining that the mobility aid has not changed his commitment to music or his plans to continue creating and performing.

by Paul Cashmere

Black Sabbath founding drummer Bill Ward has announced that he is now using a wheelchair more frequently at airports and public events, while clarifying that he remains able to walk short distances and continues to play drums. The 78-year-old musician shared the update with fans on 8 July 2026, saying he wanted to be transparent about his changing mobility and reassure supporters that he is not retiring from music.

The announcement comes as Ward remains a central figure in the history of Black Sabbath, the Birmingham band he co-founded in 1969 with Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler. As the drummer on the band’s formative albums, Ward helped establish the rhythmic foundation of a group widely recognised as one of the pioneers of heavy metal.

Ward explained that he had been using a wheelchair for around 18 months, mainly while travelling through airports or attending public events, because he can no longer walk long distances without needing to rest. He stressed that the wheelchair is a practical form of transport rather than an indication that he has stepped away from music.

“I’m announcing today somewhat sadly but nonetheless truthfully, that I’ve reached a place where publicly more and more I need to use a wheelchair, mostly in airports, or public events,” Ward wrote. “I can still walk, let there be no doubt, but I can’t walk very far without needing to rest, meaning I need to sit down.”

The statement follows a lifetime of physical commitment to drumming, including decades of touring and recording with Black Sabbath and his later solo projects. Ward told fans that his creative drive remains unchanged.

“My talents and ambitions, and my unyielding need to be artful, and to play drums, is still as strong as it was so many years ago now,” he wrote.

Ward’s announcement arrives after a significant period for Black Sabbath, including the band’s final performance at “Back To The Beginning” at Villa Park in Birmingham in July 2025. The event reunited the original members for a farewell celebration before the death of Ozzy Osbourne later that year. Following Osbourne’s passing, Ward paid tribute to his longtime bandmate, writing that the singer was “forever in my heart”.

The drummer’s role in Black Sabbath’s legacy was established from the band’s earliest recordings. After initially playing in Birmingham groups including The Rest and Mythology, Ward joined forces with Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler to form Earth, which later became Black Sabbath.

The group’s self-titled debut album, released in 1970, introduced a darker and heavier sound that would influence generations of rock and metal musicians. Ward played on the classic run of albums including Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master Of Reality, Vol. 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage, Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die!.

His drumming style combined the power of rock with the influence of jazz musicians he admired, including Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson. Ward also contributed vocals to Black Sabbath, notably singing “It’s Alright” on Technical Ecstasy and taking lead vocals on “Swinging The Chain” from Never Say Die!.

Ward’s time with Black Sabbath was marked by periods of absence and return. He left the band in 1983 after appearing on Born Again and later reunited with his original bandmates for performances including the 1997 reunion shows that became the Reunion album. He continued to appear with the group intermittently, including the band’s final concert.

His relationship with the possibility of further Black Sabbath activity was complicated by health issues and contractual disagreements. In 2012, Ward withdrew from plans involving the original lineup’s final studio album and tour. The band subsequently recorded 13 with drummer Brad Wilk and used Tommy Clufetos for touring.

Ward has also maintained a solo career, releasing Ward One: Along The Way in 1990, When The Bough Breaks in 1997 and Accountable Beasts in 2015. The latter was his first solo album in 18 years and featured Ward’s drumming across much of the record alongside longtime collaborators and guest musicians.

Over the years, Ward has spoken openly about personal struggles, including addiction, anxiety and serious health challenges. He has previously undergone treatment following heart problems, including a heart attack in 1998 and another in 2017. His latest statement does not identify a new illness, instead focusing on mobility and his desire to address fan speculation directly.

Ward acknowledged that seeing a musician in a wheelchair can lead to assumptions about their ability to continue working. “I’m just saying if you see me in a wheelchair, I’m just catching a ride, I’m not in retirement or ill or giving up,” he wrote.

The drummer concluded his message by thanking fans for their support and promising to continue making music. “I’ll keep rocking until I’m dead,” Ward wrote, reaffirming the artistic commitment that has defined his career for more than five decades.

Bill Ward, Black Sabbath photo published to Facebook