Singer-songwriter Chris Rea, best known for the festive classic Driving Home for Christmas, has died at the age of 74.
Posts shared across Rea’s official social media accounts on Sunday announced the news, saying: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Chris.”
According to the statement, the musician died peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family.
“Chris’s music has created the soundtrack to many lives, and his legacy will live on through the songs he leaves behind,” the tribute added.
Rea rose to prominence in the late 1970s and 1980s with a string of successful songs including Fool (If You Think It’s Over), Let’s Dance, and The Road to Hell. However, Driving Home for Christmas went on to become one of the most enduring and beloved holiday songs in the UK and beyond.
Interestingly, Rea once revealed that he initially opposed the release of the song.
“I did everything I could to get them not to release that record,” he later said. “Thankfully they did.”
Born in Middlesbrough to an Italian father and Irish mother, Rea grew up in a family that ran an ice cream business. He famously took his driving test in his father’s ice cream van. He also said he was on unemployment benefits and banned from driving at the time he wrote Driving Home for Christmas.
Rea faced major health challenges during his life. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the age of 33, underwent surgery to remove his pancreas in 2001, and later revealed he had to take 34 pills a day to manage his health.
Despite these challenges, he continued to make music and tour, building a legacy that spanned decades.
He is survived by his wife and two children.
