What a song Road to Hell is. His voice is unmistakable and synonymous with Christmas. RIP
bendubberley_ on
“Driving Home for Christmas” will always be a legendary Christmas song, I hope he rests peacefully.
ETA: *As per the BBC*
> “He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family,” a statement from his wife and two children says.
I’m so glad he passed peacefully, he deserves it.
tastybiscuitenjoyer on
Ah this fucking sucks. Very fond memories of my dad putting on his cassettes whenever we’d be going for a drive in the car. My dad had good taste and this is one that left a lasting impression.
Auberge is superb. Road to Hell. And obviously, Driving Home for Christmas. Gonna have a tinge of sadness to it this year.
Great voice, beautiful guitar playing and sound.
curedheronthesabbath on
I’ll crack an egg in my bath tonight in his memory.
Rest in Peace.
xaranetic on
I literally just checked Wikipedia see if he was still alive… and now he’s dead?! WTF!
Mcmonkeyfrog on
Stood still on a highway
I saw a woman by the side of the road
With a face that I knew like my own
Reflected in my window
Well, she walked up to my quarterlight
And she bent down real slow
A fearful pressure paralyzed me
In my shadow
She said, “Son, what are you doing here?
My fear for you has turned me in my grave”
I said, “Mama, I come to the valley of the rich
Myself to sell”
She said, “Son, this is the road to Hell”.
RIP Chris
achillea4 on
This is so sad. I’ve always been a big fan – very underrated musician. I saw him in concert in the 80s in Manchester and he was brilliant. RIP.
madnessgamernation on
Why do the singers of Christmas songs always die around Christmas? George Michael, Shane McGowan, and now Chris Rea.
Awful news, and it must be worse for the family that for the next few days they’ll hear his voice over and over on the radio. Or maybe that’s a good thing?
It’s a cracking song and one I’ve always listened to on the long drives home from wherever I’m living to my parent’s house.
icantbearsed on
A week earlier and he’d likely had a posthumous Christmas number one. Driving Home would have been played thousands of times in the next 24 hours anyways, now it’s gonna have a different feel.
RIP Chris.
CrackersMcCheese on
Noooooooo!
Genuinely gutted. I feared he was on borrowed time after COVID. Auberge is the best.
RIP legend.
SableSnail on
Wow, I didn’t know he was so old. Road to Hell is an incredible song!
alex_is_the_name on
Most people will only know his christmas song but my god his solo stuff was unbelievable. Once in a life time artist. RIP to a legend
EvrthnICRtrns2USmhw on
I will listen to Shamrock Diaries a little louder tonight.
captainsaveahoe69 on
Ah that is sad. He’s from my neck of the woods. RIP
iwaterboardheathens on
He won’t be driving home for christmas this year then
Great musician
Sad_Bodybuilder_186 on
Such a shame. Massively underrated guitarist. His blues boxset with all those different era’s of the blues is incredible.
MarmiteX1 on
Damn! I just spotted his name a couple of days ago on Xmas playlist, such sad news, RIP!
Arideen on
I’m driving 250 miles down to Wales on Christmas Eve to be with my family – was considering adding Driving Home for Christmas to the playlist for the journey. This pretty much cements it.
scripted00 on
I really liked him. So sad news, rest in peace, and drive safe.
Successful-Hat9649 on
Really sad. I hope his enduring legacy brings some comfort to his family. Driving home for Christmas is such a beautiful song.
Firthy2002 on
Always seems worse when people die just before Christmas.
RIP Chris
ownworstenemy38 on
Not a huge fan but liked his Music and it definitely formed part of the soundtrack to my childhood. Seemed like a nice bloke too.
Gutted.
iron81 on
Reminds me of several customer complaints when I worked in insurance, his song driving home for Christmas was our hold music and we were dealing with car accidents, not sure whose idea was to pick that
DisparateDan on
Oh man. Such a gifted songwriter and under-appreciated guitarist, as well as having that incredible gravelly voice. The world is diminished a bit more.
OpinionKey3149 on
Loved his 80s-stuff – easily his (musically) prime years imo. Loving You, If You Choose To Go, Steel River, Josephine, I Can Hear Your Heartbeat….God, he had so many great songs.
Traditional_Grape289 on
I’m absolutely gutted – glad someone made the egg reference though it did make me chuckle. R.I.P Mr Rea xx
Wallaby989 on
oh no. his Road to Hell, was the first vinyl I bought when I went to uni. played the shit out of it.
we salute you
davus_maximus on
My favourite song was always Windy Town. Annoyingly, the awful Rod Stewart did a truly excellent cover of it.
BFrancis2106 on
All the articles say he was a singer but he was also a criminally underrated guitar player. Some of his slide work is unbelievable. RIP chris
Toastlove on
For some reason I thought he was American and black
AlecMac2001 on
Lovely fella. And anyone who survives pancreatic cancer for 40 years is a legend. We’re all cracking an egg in our baths tonight.
eyebr0w5 on
My stepdad went to school with him, knew him growing up and never liked him.
My stepdad is a prize prick though so that’s always been a green flag from my perspective for Rea. Rest in peace.
32 Comments
What a song Road to Hell is. His voice is unmistakable and synonymous with Christmas. RIP
“Driving Home for Christmas” will always be a legendary Christmas song, I hope he rests peacefully.
ETA: *As per the BBC*
> “He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family,” a statement from his wife and two children says.
I’m so glad he passed peacefully, he deserves it.
Ah this fucking sucks. Very fond memories of my dad putting on his cassettes whenever we’d be going for a drive in the car. My dad had good taste and this is one that left a lasting impression.
Auberge is superb. Road to Hell. And obviously, Driving Home for Christmas. Gonna have a tinge of sadness to it this year.
Great voice, beautiful guitar playing and sound.
I’ll crack an egg in my bath tonight in his memory.
Rest in Peace.
I literally just checked Wikipedia see if he was still alive… and now he’s dead?! WTF!
Stood still on a highway
I saw a woman by the side of the road
With a face that I knew like my own
Reflected in my window
Well, she walked up to my quarterlight
And she bent down real slow
A fearful pressure paralyzed me
In my shadow
She said, “Son, what are you doing here?
My fear for you has turned me in my grave”
I said, “Mama, I come to the valley of the rich
Myself to sell”
She said, “Son, this is the road to Hell”.
RIP Chris
This is so sad. I’ve always been a big fan – very underrated musician. I saw him in concert in the 80s in Manchester and he was brilliant. RIP.
Why do the singers of Christmas songs always die around Christmas? George Michael, Shane McGowan, and now Chris Rea.
Awful news, and it must be worse for the family that for the next few days they’ll hear his voice over and over on the radio. Or maybe that’s a good thing?
It’s a cracking song and one I’ve always listened to on the long drives home from wherever I’m living to my parent’s house.
A week earlier and he’d likely had a posthumous Christmas number one. Driving Home would have been played thousands of times in the next 24 hours anyways, now it’s gonna have a different feel.
RIP Chris.
Noooooooo!
Genuinely gutted. I feared he was on borrowed time after COVID. Auberge is the best.
RIP legend.
Wow, I didn’t know he was so old. Road to Hell is an incredible song!
Most people will only know his christmas song but my god his solo stuff was unbelievable. Once in a life time artist. RIP to a legend
I will listen to Shamrock Diaries a little louder tonight.
Ah that is sad. He’s from my neck of the woods. RIP
He won’t be driving home for christmas this year then
Great musician
Such a shame. Massively underrated guitarist. His blues boxset with all those different era’s of the blues is incredible.
Damn! I just spotted his name a couple of days ago on Xmas playlist, such sad news, RIP!
I’m driving 250 miles down to Wales on Christmas Eve to be with my family – was considering adding Driving Home for Christmas to the playlist for the journey. This pretty much cements it.
I really liked him. So sad news, rest in peace, and drive safe.
Really sad. I hope his enduring legacy brings some comfort to his family. Driving home for Christmas is such a beautiful song.
Always seems worse when people die just before Christmas.
RIP Chris
Not a huge fan but liked his Music and it definitely formed part of the soundtrack to my childhood. Seemed like a nice bloke too.
Gutted.
Reminds me of several customer complaints when I worked in insurance, his song driving home for Christmas was our hold music and we were dealing with car accidents, not sure whose idea was to pick that
Oh man. Such a gifted songwriter and under-appreciated guitarist, as well as having that incredible gravelly voice. The world is diminished a bit more.
Loved his 80s-stuff – easily his (musically) prime years imo. Loving You, If You Choose To Go, Steel River, Josephine, I Can Hear Your Heartbeat….God, he had so many great songs.
I’m absolutely gutted – glad someone made the egg reference though it did make me chuckle. R.I.P Mr Rea xx
oh no. his Road to Hell, was the first vinyl I bought when I went to uni. played the shit out of it.
we salute you
My favourite song was always Windy Town. Annoyingly, the awful Rod Stewart did a truly excellent cover of it.
All the articles say he was a singer but he was also a criminally underrated guitar player. Some of his slide work is unbelievable. RIP chris
For some reason I thought he was American and black
Lovely fella. And anyone who survives pancreatic cancer for 40 years is a legend. We’re all cracking an egg in our baths tonight.
My stepdad went to school with him, knew him growing up and never liked him.
My stepdad is a prize prick though so that’s always been a green flag from my perspective for Rea. Rest in peace.