Oz Fox
He fused the blistering riffs of glam metal with Christian faith, creating a sound that defied the expectations of both rock and gospel audiences.
Born 1961 (age 65)·Musical artist·Birthday: June 18·Baby Boomers
Biography
Born Richard Alfonso Martinez, Oz Fox became the sonic engine of Stryper, a band that crashed into the 1980s hair metal scene with a bold, yellow-and-black uniform and an even bolder message. His journey began in high school, where his spot-on Ozzy Osbourne impressions earned him the nickname 'Oz.' That vocal and guitar prowess caught the attention of the Sweet brothers, leading to the band's formation in 1983. Fox's searing, melodic guitar work provided the crucial edge to Stryper's anthems, helping them land MTV rotation and platinum records while openly singing about their beliefs. After the band's initial 1992 breakup, he pursued other projects but returned for Stryper's triumphant and enduring reunion, proving the lasting power of their unique musical mission.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Oz was born in 1961, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Oz Was Born
The biggest hits of 1961
#1 Movie
101 Dalmatians
Best Picture
West Side Story
#1 TV Show
Wagon Train
Oz's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1961Born
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1979Could vote
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 40
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 50
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 60
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 65 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As lead guitarist for Stryper, he helped the band achieve platinum status with their 1986 album 'To Hell with the Devil.'
- He contributed to the songwriting and performance on over a dozen Stryper studio albums spanning four decades.
- His guitar playing was central to Stryper's breakthrough onto MTV and mainstream rock radio in the mid-1980s.
Did You Know?
His stage name 'Oz' was given by high school friends for his ability to sing like Ozzy Osbourne.
He is a licensed minister.
He survived a serious health scare involving a brain tumor in the 2010s.
“We wanted to play heavy music, but we also wanted to stand for something.”
