Chris Rea, a renowned British singer and songwriter, has died at the age of 74. His family announced that he passed away in hospital after a short illness. Rea gained popularity in the 1980s with hits like "Fool (If You Think It’s Over)" and "Let’s Dance", and became quite a legend thanks to the festive track "Driving Home for Christmas".
Although "Driving Home for Christmas" was initially released in 1986, it gained popularity over time and became one of the most beloved Christmas songs in the UK. Quite recently, it was even used in an advertising campaign for the popular retailer "Marks and Spencer".
Chris Rea was born in 1951 in Middlesbrough, in the northeast of England, to a family with Italian and Irish roots. Before starting his music career, Chris worked in the family ice cream business and only learned to play the guitar at the age of 21. Throughout his career, he recorded 25 solo albums, two of which topped the UK album chart: "The Road to Hell" (1989) and "Auberge" (1991).
Rea suffered from numerous health issues, including pancreatic cancer, and had a stroke in 2016. Despite this, he remained active in music and released several blues albums later in his life. He leaves behind a wife and two daughters.
His passion for cars became an integral part of his music, and many of his songs were inspired by the theme of road travel. "The road is always a metaphor for our life journey," the musician shared.
