RIP Chris Rea

A great person, genuine. Loved all his music, Driving Home for Christmas is my favourite Christmas song. For over forty years he had bad health but look what he achieved. He will be missed.

NannyKnit

Foxyferret

Forgot to say it’s lovely but sad

Incredibly sad, beautiful melody but the lyrics are heartbreaking.

They are, aren’t they 😥

I must admit that apart from the Christmas song he escaped my radar. Obviously aware of him but not much else

However, I'd have bet my house on him being American. Saw a clip of an interview this morning and couldn't believe he was a northern chap

Oh, I've only just seen this. I loved Chris Rea's voice - especially "Driving Home for Christmas".

Foxyferret

Forgot to say it’s lovely but sad

Incredibly sad, beautiful melody but the lyrics are heartbreaking.

@Petra @j22 did your husband prefer lemon tops or nickerbockerglories from Rea’s? I loved the lemon tops. I’m just a couple of years younger than Chris and I remember him at Stainsby School. (I wasn’t his Stainsby girl though, but many of us wanted to be!) A lovely man from a lovely family. May he rest peacefully.

Loved him especially. On the beach. My boys remember him in the car blasting out as we drove to the lakes. RIP Chris.

Foxyferret

Yes, I’ve got the Road to Hell album and played it today. There is a lovely song on there called Tell me there’s a Heaven, it must be on YouTube. Have a listen if you’re a fan.

My absolute favourite. Beautiful song.

www.google.com/search?q=youtube+%2B+chris+rea+singing+Tell+me+tyeres+a+heaven.&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:dd71ef05,vid:T-6FmYqIeps,st:0

J52

So sad he will be missed. DH felt an affinity with him, they were both born in Middlesbrough around the same time.
Also DH used to go to Rea’s ice cream parlour with his Granny.
Unfortunately one day DH was run over on the zebra crossing outside the ice cream parlour!
RIP Chris.

The same with my partner. They both race/raced a Morris Minor. Both cars the same age 1957.

Great performer. Very underated. Top songs.

Thanks Chris.

Loved his music and his voice too, especially Fool if you Think it’s Over. I’ve never heard a bad word about him. RIP Chris.

My favourite blues man, I think I have most of his recordings in one form or another. So many great songs, I can’t choose a favourite but Auberge or Stainsby Girls come close.

When he was starting out, he popped into the London Central YMCA (I worked on reception on the sports centre below the actual hotel/hostel) and gave us tickets to see him next door. We went. The seats were up in the gods and very few people attended. He called us all down to the front and played and sang his heart out. A lovely, lovely man, and it was one of the best concerts I've ever attended. My heart is a little broken by his passing as I've had a soft spot for him ever since.

His music was the soundtrack to our lives, especially in the 80s & 90s. Saw him in concert 3 times - superb. On holiday in Cornwall, our then 4 year old daughter asked for Let’s Dance to be played at the kids’ disco. That same daughter surprised us many years later with the incredible multi-disc Blue Guitars album as a gift. We still play our Rea vinyl & CDs regularly.
What a talented & lovely man.

Forgot to say it’s lovely but sad

I meant Mortimer & Whitehouse,
not Reeves

Yes, I’ve got the Road to Hell album and played it today. There is a lovely song on there called Tell me there’s a Heaven, it must be on YouTube. Have a listen if you’re a fan.

Always sad for families when a loved one dies just before Christmas.
RIP Chris.
Like *Whitewave” I saw him last on “Reeves & Mortimer Gone Fiahing” and he said himself it was miracle he was still alive.
His music will live on.

Whitewavemark2

Poor old boy. I watched him with Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse He seemed to be desperately ill then.

Yes, we watched that too, he didn't look well at all.

Poignant he died at Christmas time too.
Yes, his final drive home 😥

Updating my post. Chris did have pancreatic cancer and in 2001 had the same major operation (The Whipple procedure) as my son. So it gave him another 24 years which is brilliant and gives us hope.

*RIP Chris, so I'll, yet a amazing musician. Road to hell was my favourite.

I only saw him live once, but he was great. My friend wrote to him after the gig, and he replied to her with a handwritten letter.

I believe he had the same surgery as my son recently had. He had his pancreas and bile duct removed and became type 1 diabetic but it gave him many more years. Great song. RIP Chris.

I was sad to hear this. He’d certainly had his health struggles to contend with over the years. We saw him live, I think in the early 90’s, when he opened for Eric Clapton and then they jammed together. Wonderful!

So sad he will be missed. DH felt an affinity with him, they were both born in Middlesbrough around the same time.
Also DH used to go to Rea’s ice cream parlour with his Granny.
Unfortunately one day DH was run over on the zebra crossing outside the ice cream parlour!
RIP Chris.