'Driving Home for Christmas' singer Chris Rea has died aged 74
The singer of 'Driving Home for Christmas', Chris Rea, has died at the age of 74.
In a statement on behalf of his wife and two children, a spokesperson said: “It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris.
"He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today (22 December) following a short illness, surrounded by his family.”
As well as his Christmas banger, Rea has a number of hit songs with 'I Can Hear Your Heartbeat', 'Tell Me There's a Heaven' and 'The Road to Hell (Part 2)'.
The Middlesborough-born singer-songwriter and guitarist recorded a whopping 25 studio albums during his lengthy career, topping the UK Albums Chart with The Road to Hell in 1989 and Auberge in 1991.
Rea struggled with a number of serious health issues throughout his life, developing stomach ulcers in 1994 and a year later getting peritonitis which he reportedly 'nearly died' from.
At the time it was feared he may never perform in public again but he eventually rebounded.
In 2000, the singer was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and later had his pancreas removed.
“I wasn’t frightened of dying,” he once said in an interview.
“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’.”
Rea described the 2001 operation as life-changing and said it caused bouts of depression.
“Once they’ve taken your pancreas away, the rest of your life is dealing with not having a pancreas, which is pretty awful sometimes, but I’m still here,” the musician said in 2014.
He later suffered a stroke in 2016 but recovered to launch a new album in 2017, Road Songs for Lovers.
Rea met his wife Joan at the age of 16 in his home city and they share two daughters, Josephine and Julia.
The star credited his family with helping him cope after his ill health. “It’s music and family with me," he once said.
"I’m only one of four, that’s how I am. I’m 25 percent of a unit. It’s always been that way and we like it that way. In between that there’s music."
Forever synonymous with the festive season, Rea hit number 30 in this year's Christmas charts with 'Driving Home for Christmas' which he released back in 1986.
The iconic track features in the M&S Food Christmas advert and according to his website, it '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'.
Jess Battison