CHRIS REA: AN APPRECIATION

The British singer-guitarist's popularity may just grow stronger now that he's gone...

While deep in China at a Christmas party last weekend, the holiday music blaring out of the speakers wasn’t particularly out of the ordinary. As expected, there was the occasional Mandarin and Cantopop song, followed by favorites from Mariah (guess the tune!), Frank (sure), and Wham! (you know the one). And then there was a bit of a surprise.

“I’m driving home for Christmas,” the voice sang with satisfaction and ease. “Oh, I can’t wait to see those faces. I’m driving home for Christmas, yeah. Well I’m moving down that line…”

It was Chris Rea, alright. “What a tune,” was my first thought. Originally recorded as a throwaway B-side back in 1986, it finally reached the UK Top 10 over three decades later in 2021. “He’s getting on a bit, wonder what he’s up to these days,” was my second. As for my third, well…

(The 1986 b-side “Driving Home For Christmas” is likely to become a Christmas perennial as the years go by.)

This week, the world learned that Rea died at the age of 74 following a brief, unspecified illness. For decades, the singer had health issues, which included stomach ulcers, a bout with pancreatic cancer, diabetes, and even a stroke several years ago. It was the latter which forced him to finally give up the countless cigarettes he smoked — though they also likely contributed to his distinct voice.

Yet through it all, he also released an astounding 25 studio albums, a respectable catalog of work. His debut, released in 1978, featured “Fool (If You Think It’s Over)”, which became his biggest ever hit in the U.S., going to #1 on the Adult Contemporary Charts and #12 on the Billboard Single Charts. He was also nominated for a Grammy Award as “Best New Artist”. But even though he plays piano on the song, Rea really wanted to be known for his guitar work. “It’s still the only song I've ever not played guitar on, but it just so happened to be my first single,” he said at one point.

(Chris Rea’s first ever single in the U.S. was ironically the biggest of his career there. In the UK, his success and popularity would continue until his death.)

Over the years, the Middlesbrough, England based vocalist would overcome severe debts and health issues while refining his signature sound into a laid-back yet dangerous blues style that invited comparisons to Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler. At one point journalists even joked that the duo was working on an album under the name “Dire Rea”. In the U.S., he went virtually unrecognized as he never toured there. But in Europe, stadium shows were within his reach, largely on the back of two successive albums — “Road To Hell” in 1989 and 1991’s “Auberge” — which both went to number one in the UK.

(TOP: “The Road to Hell”, a cornerstone of Rea’s career, which was even transformed into a dance single at one point. BOTTOM: “Nothing To Fear”, a 1992 UK hit which addressed the subject of Islamophobia)

Rea indulged in a passion for racing cars and films when he wasn’t recording. In 1995, he became a pit mechanic during that Formula One season. He also contributed songs to several film soundtracks and even wrote both the score and the screenplay for the 1996 film “La Passione”.

Yet health obstacles were nearly always at the fore. A 2016 stroke forced Rea to relearn how to talk. The following year, he collapsed on stage during a concert in Oxford, England. The incidents reaffirmed his love and commitment for the blues, which he devoted himself to for the rest of his career. “I am in that unique little club where I went into music because I love music, not because I wanted to be rich and famous,” he said during one interview.

He is survived by his wife and two children. As for his music, one suspects appreciation for his talents will only grow as the years go by, sitting alongside such performers as J.J. Cale and John Prine. "Chris’s music has created the soundtrack to many lives, and his legacy will live on through the songs he leaves behind," a post on his social media accounts reads.

That certainly includes a song called “Driving Home For Christmas”…

(One of Rea’s last UK interviews, along with a collection of interview quotes and remembrances).