Randall William "Randy" Rhoads (December 6, 1956 – March 19, 1982) was an American
heavy metal guitarist who played with
Ozzy Osbourne and
Quiet Riot. He died in a
plane accident while on tour with Osbourne in
Florida in 1982. A devoted student of classical guitar, Rhoads combined his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. Despite his short career, Rhoads, who was a major influence on
neo-classical metal, is cited as an influence by many guitarists and is included in several "Greatest Guitarist" lists.