The musician passed away in the hospital after a brief illness, as confirmed by his family.
22 · 12 · 2025
English singer-songwriter Chris Rea, recognized for hits like ‘Driving Home For Christmas,’ has died at the age of 74, according to a family representative.
“It is with great sorrow that we share the news of our beloved Chris’s passing. He died peacefully in the hospital earlier today after a short illness, surrounded by his family,” a statement from his wife and two children stated.
Born in Middlesbrough, Rea found musical success in the ’70s and ’80s, with record sales exceeding 30 million. His style was varied—blending blues, soul, pop, and soft rock across an extensive catalog of 25 studio albums, featuring hits like ‘The Road to Hell’ from the UK number one album of the same name. This was succeeded by a second number one album, 1991’s ‘Auberge.’
Perhaps his most famous tracks are the holiday classic ‘Driving Home for Christmas,’ along with ‘On the Beach’ and ‘Josephine,’ which became significant in the Balearic dance music scene. Rea's chart success dwindled in the 2000s as he shifted from pop to the Delta blues that had initially inspired him.
Rea was passionate about motor racing, having raced Ferrari and Lotus models and competing in the 1993 British Touring Car Championship. He was a supporter of the Labour Party, and in 2017 he wrote an unreleased song praising Jeremy Corbyn titled ‘What’s So Wrong With a Man Who Tells the Truth?’
Rea had previously been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, leading to the removal of his pancreas in 2001.
Further updates will be provided.
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English singer-songwriter Chris Rea, famous for songs like 'Driving Home For Christmas,’ has passed away at the age of 74, as confirmed by a family spokesperson. "It is