Chris Rea, British singer of “Driving Home for Christmas,” dies at 74

Chris Rea, the British singer-songwriter best known for the hit “Driving Home for Christmas,” has died at the age of 74, his family announced on Monday.

“It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of beloved Chris,” said a statement on behalf of his wife and two children, the BBC reported. “He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family.”

Additional details were not immediately available.

Christopher Anton Rea was born in 1951 in Middlesbrough, in northeast England, to an Italian father and Irish mother. He was one of seven children.

He came late to the guitar, picking one up at 21, and played in bands before going solo.

Rea found fame in the 1980s in Britain with hits such as “Fool (If You Think It’s Over)” and “Let’s Dance.”

Throughout his career, Rea recorded 25 solo albums, two of which — “The Road to Hell” in 1989 and “Auberge” in 1991 — went to No. 1 in the country. The song he is probably most well-known for in the U.S., “Fool (If You Think It’s Over),” earned Rea a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 1979.

“Driving Home for Christmas,” first released in 1986, became one of the U.K.’s most loved festive songs and featured in a Marks and Spencer’s TV advertisement this year.

According to the BBC, the family was known locally for Camillo’s ice cream factory and cafes, which his father owned.

The mayor of Middlesbrough, Chris Cooke, paid tribute to Rea on Monday, saying the singer “leaves behind a brilliant legacy.”

“Chris Rea was deeply proud of his Middlesbrough roots and the people of our town were equally proud to call him one of their own,” he said, according to the BBC. “Millions of people around the world will listen to his music tonight. His songs helped put Middlesbrough on the map and he leaves behind a brilliant legacy.”

He had suffered from health problems, including pancreatic cancer, and in 2016, he suffered a stroke. In more recent years, he turned away from pop and released several bluesy records.

Rea is survived by his wife and two daughters.