Chris Rea, the singer and songwriter best known for the hit “Driving Home for Christmas,” has died at 74, his family said Monday.
Rea died in the hospital following a short illness, according to a statement from his family to Britain’s Press Association news agency.
Rea found fame in the 1980s in Britain with hits such as “Fool (If You Think It’s Over)” and “Let’s Dance.”
Two of his studio albums, “The Road to Hell” in 1989 and “Auberge” in 1991, went to number one in the country.
“Driving Home for Christmas,” did not become an overnight hit when it was first released in 1986, but the gentle track proved to be an enduring success over the decades and remains one of the U.K.’s most-loved festive songs. It featured in a TV advertisement for the retailer Marks and Spencer just this year.
The musician was born in 1951 in Middlesbrough, in
You’ve reached your free article limit
Subscribe to enjoy unlimited access to trusted journalism. Cancel anytime.
Subscribe nowNeed help? molokom@insidepolitic.co.za
