The European underground music scene was changing in the 1950s. Music began to incorporate more guttural guitars and thrash sounds, and lyrics began to change dramatically. The subject of songs shifted from love for one’s family to more desperate and dangerous ideas. The music addressed and embraced life’s darker side.
This music was then referred to as something more substantial than rock music, taking on the characteristics of an entirely different genre. The genre was eventually dubbed heavy metal music. The English band Black Sabbath was a pioneer of this music movement. Tony Iommi was Black Sabbath’s lead guitarist and is widely regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time.
Quick Facts
| Celebrated Name: | Tony Iommi |
|---|---|
| Real Name/Full Name: | Anthony Frank Iommi |
| Gender: | Male |
| Age: | 75 years old |
| Birth Date: | 19 February 1948 |
| Birth Place: | Handsworth, Birmingham, United Kingdom |
| Nationality: | British |
| Height: | 1.83 m |
| Weight: | 65 kg |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Wife/Spouse (Name): | Maria Sjoholm (m. 2005) |
| Children: | Yes (Toni-Marie Iommi) |
| Dating/Girlfriend (Name): | N/A |
| Profession: | English guitarist, songwriter and producer |
| Net Worth in 2024: | $170 million |
Tony Iommi Biography
Tony Iommi’s full name is Anthony Frank Iommi. Birmingham, England is where he was born. He was the only child of his parents, and his maternal side of the family was well-off. They were vineyard owners in an Italian region. His parents owned a store, and his father ran a carpentry business. Ozzy Osbourne, a future Black Sabbath bandmate and academic junior, was a student at Iommi’s high school.
Iommi tripped and fell before the age of ten. The incident left him with scars on his face, particularly on his upper lip. As a result, his contemporaries referred to him as “Scarface.” Iommi began to feel self-conscious about his physical appearance after a while. This prompted Iommi to grow a mustache in order to conceal the scar.
Iommi’s neighborhood was notorious for gang violence. To protect himself, Iommi decided to learn a variety of martial arts, from judo to karate. His boxing abilities almost led him to a job as a bouncer at a nightclub. As a child, Iommi enjoyed playing the drums but despised the excessive noise they produced. Instead, he chose to play the guitar.
Iommi had previously worked as a plumber and as a music store attendant. Tony was working part-time in a factory when he was involved in an accident that caused him to lose the tips of two of his fingers on his right hand, which is his fretting hand. Tony then decided to play the guitar with two fingers and even experimented with switching to a right-handed playing style.
Tony Iommi Age, Height, Weight
Tony Iommi was born on February 19, 1948, and will be 75 years old in 2024. His height is 1.83 m, and he weighs 65 kg.
Career
Tony Iommi has been in a number of bands throughout his career. He began his musical career with the Rockin’ Chevrolets before moving on to the Rest. He met Bill Ward, the future drummer for Black Sabbath, at the latter. He was also a member of another band called Mythology. Iommi began playing guitar on Earth and Jethro Tull after the breakup of the band Mythology. Earth was later renamed Black Sabbath, who are widely regarded as the forefathers of the heavy metal genre.
Out of necessity, Black Sabbath was one of the first bands to begin detuning their guitars. This, however, became their signature sound and eventually caught up to heavy metal. It is now a distinguishing feature of heavy metal.
Achievements and Awards
Tony Iommi was named a “Riff Lord” by Metal Hammer in 2005. In addition to being mentioned in great rock and metal music magazines, Iommi is regarded as one of the greatest guitarists to have ever lived by many in the heavy metal industry.
Tony Iommi’s Net Worth in 2024
Tony Iommi’s net worth is estimated to be $170 million as of February 2024, which is not surprising given his influence in the music industry. Tony Iommi is a role model for young metal guitarists, using his disability to benefit his playing style.
