Chris Rea passes away at 74
The British singer-songwriter behind hits such as Driving Home for Christmas.
Chris Rea, the British singer-songwriter behind hits such as Driving Home for Christmas, The Road to Hell and On the Beach, has died at the age of 74, his family said on Monday.
A spokesperson said Rea died peacefully in hospital following a short illness. Born in Middlesbrough in 1951, Rea built a career blending blues, pop and soft rock, releasing 25 studio albums and selling more than 30 million records worldwide.
Driving Home for Christmas
He first found success in the late 1970s with Fool (If You Think It's Over) and reached his commercial peak in the late 1980s, when albums such as The Road to Hell topped the UK charts. Driving Home for Christmas, originally released in the 1980s, later became a perennial festive favourite.
Rea was also known for his love of cars and motor racing and remained active creatively despite serious health problems, including pancreatic cancer and a stroke. He is survived by his wife, Joan, and their two daughters.