British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, whose career spanned more than four decades and included hits such as "Driving Home for Christmas" and "The Road to Hell," has died at age 74 following a short illness.
According to a statement released by his family, Rea was surrounded by relatives in the hospital at the time of his death, Sky News reported.
Rea was born in Middlesbrough and rose to prominence in the late 1970s, with multiple albums and singles charting in the U.K. during the 1980s and early 1990s.
Known for his distinctive gravelly voice and later for his slide-guitar work, he sold millions of records worldwide and received multiple industry nominations, including Brit Awards and a Grammy nod.
His debut album, "Whatever Happened To Benny Santini?" was released in 1978 after his record label proposed he adopt the stage name Benny Santini.
The album featured "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," which became an international hit and earned a Grammy nomination.
While commercial success was uneven in the years that followed, Rea's popularity grew steadily in the U.K. and across Europe.
By the mid-1980s, he had established himself as a major artist with albums such as "On the Beach." He reached the height of his success with "The Road to Hell" in 1989 and "Auberge" in 1991, both of which reached No. 1 in the U.K.
His success in the U.S. was more limited but did include several chart appearances.
One of Rea's most recognizable songs, "Driving Home for Christmas," was first released in 1986 and has since become a seasonal staple.
The song features in this year's Marks & Spencer Christmas advertisement, in which comedian Dawn French is shown singing along in her car.
Rea previously explained the song's origins during a television appearance, telling comedian Bob Mortimer, "I was on the dole when I wrote that. My manager had just left me.
"I'd just been banned from driving, right. My now wife, Joan, she had to drive down to London, picked me up in the Mini, and take me home, and that's when I wrote it."
In later years, Rea faced a series of serious health problems.
He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and underwent surgery to remove his pancreas in 2001. In 2016, he suffered a stroke.
After these setbacks, he released music that drew more directly on blues influences.
"I wasn't frightened of dying. It did look like the end, but what got me through was the thought of leaving a record that my two teenage daughters could say, 'That's what Papa did — not the pop stuff, but the blues music. That's what he was about,'" he previously said, according to Sky News.
Tributes have been paid following news of his death, including from Mortimer, a longtime friend.
Writing on X, Mortimer said, "So so sad. A lovely brilliant funny giant of a bloke."
"Oh Man … RIP Chris … Boro legend forever. Love to family and friends," he added.
The two collaborated on several occasions, including a 1997 charity recording of "Let's Dance" linked to Middlesbrough FC's FA Cup final appearance and a 2020 Christmas episode of "Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing," The Independent reported.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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