British blues rocker Chris Rea, known for his 1978 soft rock hit, “Fool (If You Think It’s Over),” and the beloved holiday classic “Driving Home for Christmas,” has died at the age of 74 following a brief illness. His family announced Rea’s passing on social media on Monday morning (December 22), writing in a statement, “Chris’s music has created the soundtrack to many lives, and his legacy will live on through the songs he leaves behind.” Over a 50-year career, Rea released 25 albums, including two U.K. chart-toppers, The Road to Hell (1989) and Auberge (1991), and earned a Grammy nomination for best new artist in 1979. Rea was known for his distinctive slide guitar style, and his 1986 melancholic ballad, “Driving Home for Christmas,” remains a perennial seasonal favorite in the U.K., and frequently cracks into their Top 10 singles chart around the holidays. Born in Middlesbrough in 1951, Rea overcame multiple health challenges later in life, including major surgery and a stroke, continuing to record and perform until his final album in 2019, One Fine Day. (Billboard)
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