British singer, songwriter and guitarist Chris Rea, known internationally for songs like “On The Beach” and the Christmas song “Driving Home For Christmas”, died at the age of 74, according to his family on Monday.
Rea died today in hospital after “a brief illness”, surrounded by his family, according to the statement issued on behalf of his wife and two children by the British Press Association (PA) news agency.
The musician was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2000 and underwent surgery the following year, while in 2016 he suffered a stroke.
Rea has sold more than 30 million copies of his 25 albums during his five-decade career.
Born in 1951 in Middlesbrough (northern England) to an Italian father and an Irish mother, Christopher Anton Rea, with seven brothers and sisters, spent his adolescence helping in the family ice cream parlor and even obtained his driving license with his father’s ice cream truck, Camillo.
He discovered his passion for music and guitar in his youth, when he purchased his first instrument, a 1961 Hofner V3, and, according to experts, his love of driving and traveling influenced many of his songs.
Rea was part of two bands, Magdalene and The Beautiful Losers, before launching his solo career with the single “So Much Love” in 1974.
Their first album, “Whatever Happened To Benny Santini?”, was released in 1978, and the song “Fool (If You Think It’s Over)” was nominated for a Grammy.
The musician, known for his deep voice and distinctive guitar playing style, rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s with hits such as “Let’s Dance” and “The Road to Hell.”
His first success in the United States came in 1978 with his song “Fool (If You Think It’s Over)”, which earned him a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. Their 1985 album, “Water Sign”, was a success throughout Europe.
Throughout his career, he recorded 25 solo albums, two of which reached number one in the UK charts: “The Road to Hell” (1989) and “Auberge” (1991). He has sold more than 30 million copies of his albums.
Released in 1986, the song “Driving Home For Christmas” is to this day a Christmas classic, both in the UK and abroad.
This year it appeared in the holiday charts again, reaching number 30 last week, and was also included in the Christmas advertising campaign of the famous British department store M&S.
As he explains on his website, the song, created while he was traveling with his wife by car, tells “the story of a weary traveler returning home, a moment of warmth, humor and festive spirit that has retained its charm over the years.”
However, he initially did not want his label to release him, as he was trying to build a reputation for his guitar skills.
“At that point, the last thing I needed was to hear a Christmas song going around. I did everything I could to stop them from releasing that record. Luckily, they did!” he later admitted.
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