Chris Rea, singer-songwriter known for 'Driving Home for Christmas,' dies at 74

LONDON — Chris Rea, the singer and songwriter best known for the hit “Driving Home for Christmas,” has died at 74, his family said Monday.

Rea died in the hospital following a short illness, according to a statement from his family to Britain’s Press Association news agency.

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

Two of his studio albums, “The Road to Hell” in 1989 and “Auberge” in 1991, went to number one in the country.

“Driving Home for Christmas,” did not become an overnight hit when it was first released in 1986, but the gentle track proved to be an enduring success over the decades and remains one of the U.K.’s most-loved festive songs. It was featured in a TV advertisement for the retailer Marks and Spencer just this year.

The musician was born in 1951 in Middlesbrough, in northeast England, to an Italian father and Irish mother. He took various jobs after leaving school and helped out in his family’s ice cream business.

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

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.