'Driving Home for Christmas' Singer Dead at 74

Chris Rea, the renowned British singer behind the 1986 hit "Driving Home for Christmas," has died. He was. 74.

Chris Rea Died Peacefully

According to The Guardian, a spokesperson shared that Rea died on Monday while surrounded by his wife and two children.

"It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris," the spokesperson said in a statement shared with various news outlets. "He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family."

Rea's death came as his "Driving Home For Christmas" track was charting in the UK. The song "tells the story of a weary traveller making his way home, a moment of warmth, humor, and holiday spirit that's never lost its magic," the singer previously shared on his website.

Chris Rea Had Health Problems

He was also diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when he was 33 and had his pancreas removed, along with parts of his stomach and small intestine, in 2001, per The Guardian.

Rea also had a stroke in 2016, but recovered in time to release his 24th studio album, Road Songs for Lovers.

The following year, he collapsed on stage in Oxford in the middle of his concert.

The Irony Behind 'Driving Home For Christmas'

Ironically, Rea was serving a driving ban when he wrote what's arguably his biggest hit.

It's unclear what led to Rea's driving ban, but BBC News reports that Rea wrote the song while sitting on the passenger side when his wife, Joan, would pick him up from London to their home in Middlesbrough. Rae and Joan started dating when they were 17, and they shared two daughters, Josephine and Julia.

During that drive, Rea said that it was snowing on one of those drives back home.

"I'd look across at the other drivers, who all looked so miserable," he said, per BBC News. "Jokingly, I started singing 'We're driving home for Christmas...' then, whenever the street lights shone inside the car, I started writing down the lyrics."

But after writing the song, Rea reportedly did everything he could to stop the release of the Christmas song, because he "didn't need a Christmas song hanging around at that point."

He added, "I did everything I could to get [the record company to] not release that record. Thankfully, they did!"

Rea's death comes just months after he released a new Christmas album, The Christmas Album, in October. The eight-track album features his "Driving Home For Christmas," including the 2019 remaster.

Rea released 25 studio albums, and some of his other hits included The Road to Hell. He earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best New Artist in 1978 for "Fool (If You Think It's Over)."