Randy Rhoads, an influential and genre-defining heavy metal guitarist and songwriter, passed away on March 19, 1982 at the age of 25. Rhoads was best known for his three-year collaboration with Ozzy Osbourne as well as his own work with Quiet Riot and many other bands. A native of Santa Monica, Rhoads began playing guitar at the age of six and began his musical career in the 1970s. He would go on to define a style of playing and composition that blended classic rock, blues, and classical music influences with heavy metal. Rhoads was renowned for his lightning-fast fretboard techniques, sophisticated compositions, and intense live performances. Rhoads' death, which occurred in Leesburg, Florida, cut short a career that has gone down in musical history. His body of work, both with Ozzy Osbourne and his own bands, has been cited as an inspiration by countless artists who have followed.