A plaque has been unveiled in honour of drummer Cozy Powell in Cirencester, UK.
Around 500 people attended the ceremony at the town’s Corn Hall, including Tony Iommi, Brian May, Suzi Quatro, Neil Murray and Bernie Marsden.
Powell died in a car crash in 1998 aged 50 – ending a career which included stints with Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy and more.
Queen guitarist May tells the BBC: “He was one of the world’s most exciting drummers ever. Cozy really helped to define the whole genre of rock drumming as we know it today. He’s the heavy drummer template.”
Cirencester council took action after a petition for a plaque to remember Powell’s legacy, which Italian music fan Rossella Amadori started in 2014, attracted 3500 signatures.
John Tiffney from Cirencester Civic Society says: “Until now the civic society, which is 50 years old this year, has only put up blue plaques to commemorate buildings, so this is the first-ever plaque to commemorate a person.”
