British singer-songwriter Chris Rea has died at the age of 74. “It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris,” his family said in a statement. “He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family.”
The artist Rea was born in Middlesbrough to an Italian father and Irish mother, and only learned to play guitar from the age of 21. In the 1970s and 80s, he had a string of hits including Fool (If You Think It’s Over), Let’s Dance and The Road to Hell – but his biggest track by far remains the 1986 song Driving Home For Christmas.
