Chris Rea has died aged 74

Seeing as he also did On the Beach and George Michael did Club Tropicana (fun and sunshine, there's enough for everyone), would you think anything notable about it had they both died in summer?

RIP

Apparently he’d been dropped by his record company in London and they wouldn’t even give him the train fare home, so his wife drove down to pick him up. The traffic was awful and they spent ages in traffic jams all the way. It was a really low point in his career. And while they were sitting in traffic he basically wrote the song!

His wife lived next to my parents in the 60s (before my time).
I shall have a Stainsby Girl gin for him.

RIP Chris.
Thank you for immortalising us Stainsby Girls

Really sad news. I love Christmas music, and have Christmas radio on in the car. His is one of the songs I've loved since childhood, and I love hearing it every year. It's been on the radio a lot lately (obvious radio song for drivers), I must have heard it at least 50 times in this past few weeks and I never want to turn it off.
I hate to admit it but I've wondered lately when his time would come. It's extra poignant this close to Christmas, as a PP alluded to (I still miss George).

I've found myself really loving a lot of Chris Rea's music in recent years. When I was a kid, it was 'dad music'. I love so many of those 'dad rock' artists now, though. Hopefully he has a lot of younger fans now, as so many of those 70s/80s/90s artists now do. My daughter keeps asking me 'mum, have you heard of.....?' Yes dear, I saw them live when I was your age.

He looked quite unwell on that episode, I hardly recognised him.

RIP.

Apparently he was commuting back to Middlesbrough by car for the winter break. Very sad.

Same. I just read on the bbc website he spent a lot of time on the road, hence driving-themed songs.
RIP Chris.

You don’t know ‘on the beach’ ?

So sad. His gravelly vocals were part of my 80s years and Christmases. ☹️

Very sad news

We get quite offended at that G word, don’t we! We’re our own fab, unique Teesside and proud of it.
And proud of Chris.

I’ve just been looking at the pub menu for tea later - chicken parmo it is!

“He had a very strong Geordie accent, and he knew Bob Mortimer!”

He did not have a Geordie accent. And that’s for the same reason as why he knew Bob. 😂

His head nearly fell off when I told him Stainsby (Stainsby Girls) is a real place.

I'll crack an egg into my bath as a sign of respect later

Sad news, rest in peace Chris x

Oh my word! Your father in law must be duly punished! From a fellow Smoggie!

He'd had many, many serious health problems and frankly had been a warrior to carry on performing to the age he did. Has left us with great songs, though, including the obvious Driving Home for Christmas, and the fabulous Stainsby Girls, inspired by his wife Joan. RIP and a peaceful onward journey Chris.

Oh, that's so sad. Extra poignant given the time of year.

Oh no, I’m very sad to hear that Chris has died. He went to my school (a few years before me) and even wrote a song about us.
Thank you, Chris, for the wonderful music and memories. Sleep peacefully.
A Stainsby Girl.

That is so sad to hear. I loved his song 'On the beach'. Reminds me of many memories of my first holiday abroad as a kid.

RIP Chris Rea- Sad news. I was often driving home for Christmas when I heard that song as I only tend to listen to the radio when driving. What is it about Christmas songs and artists and passing away so near Christmas? George Micheal was Christmas day and now Chris Rea three days before Christmas?

Aah, we were only driving DS back from uni a couple of days ago and I purposely played that in the car for him. I was showing him photos of Chris Rea as he didn't know what he looked like.

RIP, Chris 😢