Newsletters
British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, renowned for his 1986 festive classic “Driving Home for Christmas,” has died at the age of 74, his family announced on Monday. Rea passed away peacefully in the hospital following a short illness, surrounded by his family.
Born in Middlesbrough, England, in 1951, Rea first gained prominence in the late 1970s with “Fool (If You Think It’s Over),” and went on to release a string of hits in the 1980s, including “Let’s Dance” and “The Road to Hell."
Over a career spanning five decades, he released more than 25 studio albums and sold over 30 million records worldwide. His albums "The Road to Hell" (1989) and "Auberge" (1991) both reached number one on the U.K. albums chart.
Rea’s gravelly voice and distinctive slide guitar work earned him widespread acclaim, and his seasonal song “Driving Home for Christmas” has become a staple of the U.K. festive period, regularly reappearing in the charts and in holiday advertising campaigns.
Throughout his life, Rea faced significant health challenges, including pancreatic cancer, which led to the removal of his pancreas in 2001 and a stroke in 2016. Despite these setbacks, he continued to record and release music, with a particular focus on blues-inspired albums in later years.
Set as preferred source
3 min read
