British music legend Chris Rea has passed away peacefully in hospital following a short illness, his family has confirmed, per mirror.co.uk.
The Middlesbrough-born singer-songwriter, best known for his gravelly voice and the perennial festive favourite “Driving Home For Christmas,” died on Monday morning. In a statement released via the Press Association, his family said: “It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris. He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family.”
Rea’s career was defined by both his soulful blues-rock and his remarkable resilience. In a poignant coincidence, his final social media post, shared just hours before his passing, depicted a snowy motorway with the caption: “Driving home for Christmas with a thousand memories.”
The singer had survived a long history of health complications, which he often discussed with candid, self-deprecating humour. Following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in 2001, he underwent a life-saving Whipple procedure to remove several organs. He later battled Type 1 diabetes and suffered a stroke in 2016.
Reflecting on his health in a recent interview, he joked that despite his struggles, he still had a “very good heart.”
Rea’s path to fame was far from instant. He famously wrote “Driving Home For Christmas” while “on the dole” in the late 1970s, after his manager had left him and he was facing financial uncertainty.
While his debut single “Fool (If You Think It’s Over)” earned him a Grammy nomination in 1978, it was the 1980s that cemented his status as a European superstar. The success of albums such as On The Beach and the chart-topping The Road to Hell made him one of the UK’s most successful solo artistes.
Fans and colleagues have flooded social media with tributes to the “British great.” One admirer wrote: “Gutted we have lost Chris Rea. This guy had stunning songs for every season.”
He is survived by his wife, Joan, and their two daughters.
•Featured image: Chris Rea/Redferns
