Chris Rea, the British rock and blues singer-songwriter best known for his 1986 hit ‘Driving Home For Christmas’, has died at 74.
A statement from Rea’s family revealed he “died peacefully” at the hospital on Monday after a “short illness”.
“He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family,” the statement reads.
Since the announcement, several notable people have paid their last respects to the singer.
In a post via X, Andy McDonald, Labour MP for Middlesbrough, described Rea as a “cherished son” whose music will live on.
“So very saddened to hear this news. Chris, a most cherished son of Middlesbrough, will live on through his wonderful music. My sincere condolences to his family,” he wrote.
TV personality Lizzie Cundy paid tribute to Rea on X, calling him a “forever inspiration and legend” while recalling her experience starring in his ‘Driving Home for Christmas’ video.
“I’m so sad to hear Chris Rea has died. I was lucky enough to star in his music video Driving home for Christmas,” she wrote.
“I loved every minute and was an honour to work with him and be in his iconic music video. He will always be an inspiration and legend to me. Rest in peace Chris.”
Born in 1951 in Middlesbrough to an Italian father and Irish mother, Rea held various jobs after leaving school and also helped out in his family’s ice cream business.
He discovered the guitar relatively late, picking one up at 21, and played in several bands before launching a solo career. Rea rose to fame in the late 1970s and 1980s with hits like ‘Fool (If You Think It’s Over)’, ‘Let’s Dance’, and ‘The Road to Hell’.
His breakthrough came in the United States, where ‘Fool (If You Think It’s Over)’ reached No. 12 on the charts in 1978 and earned him a Grammy nomination for Best New Artiste.
Known for his distinctive husky voice and slide guitar playing, Rea went on to record 25 studio albums. By the time ‘The Road to Hell (Part 2)’ cracked the UK Top 10, he was already a major European star.
Throughout his life, Rea was open about his health challenges. At age 33, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which led to the removal of his pancreas in 2001, and he later suffered a stroke in 2016.
Rea is survived by his wife Joan and their daughters Josephine and Julia.
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