Chris Rea, the singer of the holiday classic ‘Driving Home for Christmas’, has died at the age of 74.
British star Rea was best known for his 1986 hit, which became a seasonal favorite in the UK and regularly returned to the charts during the holiday season. The song was featured in numerous festive adverts and continues to be a staple of Christmas playlists.
“He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness,” his family said in a statement.
Born in Middlesbrough in 1951, Rea started his music career in the 1970s and gained early success with his 1978 hit ‘Fool (If You Think It’s Over)’, which was nominated for a Grammy Award and broke into the US charts. Over the course of his career, he released 25 studio albums and sold more than 40 million records worldwide.
Two of his most successful albums were ‘The Road to Hell’ (1989) and ‘Auberge’ (1991), both of which topped the UK albums chart.
Rea faced significant health issues in later years. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had his pancreas removed in 2001. He also suffered a stroke in 2016 but continued to record and perform afterward. His final studio album, ‘One Fine Day’, was released in 2019.
Rea is survived by his wife Joan and their two daughters.
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