Chris Rea has died aged 74

[mumofoneAloneandwell]

May he rest in peace - he's given us all so much joy ❤️

Sad news, I only heard this morning that he wrote the Christmas song while on a driving ban. He was waiting for his wife to pick him up and it was raining and he got the idea seeing all the red tail lights. I am not a big fan of the song myself but thought it was an amusing fact ;-)

Considering his health issues, I think that's a good age. He was diabetic type one with no pancreas.

Aww. I loved his records. RIP x

He was a lovely bloke.
His family had many ice cream parlours in the Teesside Area in the 60s/70s/80s.
My family live in a house on the road where Chris grew up- just a few doors down.
His Dad was very fond of my mum and he used to bring me an ice cream cake for my birthday every year. They were wonderful.
We’ve always been proud of Chris us Teessiders.
And yes, Stainsby was a school but it amalgamated with another school and became Acklam Grange in 1984.

Re the anecdote above about writing ‘Driving Home for Christmas’ - Joan came down in their knackered old mini to collect him after he was indeed dumped by his record company. When they got home the royalty cheque from his record sales had landed!! They had enough money for Christmas!

I love that song.

RIP Chris. His name will continue every Christmas when they play Driving Home for Christmas and every summer when they play On the Beach. Great legacy.

Beautiful guitar playing and fantastic voice. Just sad he is gone

Awww, sad news. 74 is not a young age to die, but it doesn't seem old enough either IYSWIM. R.I.P.

Fellow Smoggie feeling sad at today’s news. My mum taught at Stains y in the early 60s….wonder whether she taught Chris’ wife? I loved his music since his early albums - I think I wore out Dancing with Strangers and New Light Through Old Windows on the tape versions, but I still have the CDs and play them.

He had the dry, laconic Middlesbrough way and seemed a genuinely modest person despite his incredible talent. He’ll be sadly missed.

I remember seeing him drive near his home while working in his neck of the woods, in an open top car. But it wasn't Christmas, it was summer. Still, he looked happy and the car good fun.
Nice voice, not my kind of music but I understand he's been ill for some time. All the money in the world doesn't help does it? The Christmas cull starts again now - but nothing can make me sadder than the year we lost Bowie and so many wonderful people.

Oh my goodness, that's sad news.

Thank you for accompanying me on many, many drives home for Christmas Chris Rea.

That's so sad, Driving Home for Christmas was on my internal jukebox only yesterday when I was doing just that. Great tracks and an 80s icon for my generation.

I remember Rea’s ice cream parlour on (I think) Linthorpe Road back in the 60s. My mum and dad used to take me there on a Saturday after we’d been shopping.

My late DH and I saw him many times in concert, and had all the LPs & cds. It’s was very much “our music

I lost DH in 2001 and todays news seems to touch a sad spot.

God Bless Chris, Thank you for your lovely music over the years.
You’ve driven home at last 💔

I always remember his Road to Hell on Top of the Pops and the presenter talking about how it was inspired by the M25. I thoroughly concur with his sentiment it is indeed the Road to Hell.

Proper sad at this news 😔

Surviving pancreatic cancer in his 30s was remarkable, especially given he had to have his pancreas removed making him a type 1 diabetic. To get to 74 after going through that is pretty remarkable full stop, but a horrid loss for his family this close to Christmas and hearing his song constantly being played.

My friend was driving around the M25 when a new bit had just opened and part of it collapsed and she disappeared into a massive hole, still in her car.

She was eventually hoisted out and was not injured but this was the start of ma g hellish experiences around the M25!

I loved his voice. Driving Home for Christmas is my favourite Christmas song. Sad news.

My Dad tells me he used to go to the Rea’s ice cream parlour on Linthorpe Road, opposite the park gates.
I can vaguely remember it, though I think it had closed by then.

A great guitar player, you could always tell it was him playing.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3aZBqrHs4qo&list=RD3aZBqrHs4qo&start_radio=1&pp=ygUlZm9vbCBpZiB5b3UgdGhpbmsgaXQncyBvdmVyIGNocmlzIHJlYaAHAQ%3D%3D

RIP.

RIP Chris.
His music reminds me of visiting friends at their various universities (I was the only one of my group who didn't go).
@NeedsRenovation he was a massive petrolhead.

So sad to hear this. I would always text my DH when I was leaving work on Christmas Eve to let him know I was Driving Home for Christmas, then play the song in the car. I can't text DH this year as he died in July, but I will play the song extra loud on Wednesday for both of them. RIP 😢

So sad to hear this,right on top of Christmas. I can't say I was a big fan of his music,but I did love 'Driving home for Christmas'.