British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, famed for his 1986 festive classic Driving Home for Christmas, has died at the age of 74, his family announced on Monday.
“It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris,” a spokesperson for his wife and two children said. “He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family.”
A message shared on his official social media channels added: “Chris’s music has created the soundtrack to many lives, and his legacy will live on through the songs he leaves behind.” No further details were immediately provided.
Born in Middlesbrough, northeast England, in 1951, Rea faced serious health challenges during his life. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had his pancreas removed in 2001, and in 2016 he suffered a stroke.
Rea first rose to fame in the late 1970s with the hit Fool (If You Think It’s Over) and went on to release a string of acclaimed albums in the 1980s, including Let’s Dance and The Road to Hell. Known for his distinctive gravelly voice and slide guitar playing, he recorded 25 solo albums, two of which reached number one on the UK albums chart, and earned a Grammy nomination early in his career.
His 1986 song Driving Home for Christmas became a perennial festive favourite, frequently re-entering the UK singles chart each December.
In recent weeks, it reached number 30 and featured in the Christmas advert for Marks & Spencer. The song, according to Rea’s official website, “tells the story of a weary traveller making his way home, a moment of warmth, humour, and holiday spirit that’s never lost its magic.”
Rea wrote the song during a difficult period when his manager had left him, he had been banned from driving, and his wife was behind the wheel. “I’d look across at the other drivers, who all looked so miserable,” he recalled. “Jokingly, I started singing ‘We’re driving home for Christmas…’ then, whenever the street lights shone inside the car, I started writing down the lyrics.”
Middlesbrough FC, his hometown football club, expressed its sorrow on X, calling Rea “a Teesside icon” and saying it was “deeply saddened” by the news of his passing.
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