SINGER-SONGWRITER Chris Rea has died, aged 74, his family has confirmed.
The star, who wrote and recorded the festive hit Driving Home for Christmas, died in hospital today following a “short illness”
"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."
Rea was born in Middlesbrough in northern England in 1951 to an Irish mother and an Italian father, who ran a chain of cafés and an ice cream factory.
He was one of seven children.
Having purchased his first guitar in his 20s, Rea’s musical career began as a member of the Middlesborough band Magdalene.
He went on to form the band The Beautiful Losers before recording his first solo single, So Much Love, in 1974.
Rea stayed solo from that point and went on to record 25 studio albums over the course of his lengthy career.
One of his best-known tracks is the Christmas classic Driving Home For Christmas, which he first recorded in 1986.
The tune remains a firm festive favourite, and was the track of choice for this year’s Marks and Spencer Christmas advert.
Tributes have poured in for the much-loved singer, with local football team Middlesborough FC stating they were “deeply saddened” to learn of his death.
They described him as a “Teeside icon”.
Teeside radio station The Red said he was “more than a world-class musician - he was one of us”.
They added that he was 'born in Middlesbrough, shaped by Teesside, and always proud of where he came from".
"His voice, his guitar, and his songwriting carried the sound and soul of this place far beyond the River Tees and across the world," they said.
See More: Chris Rea, Driving Home For Christmas, Tributes
