Chris Rea. Photo: Getty Images.
Chris Rea, the British musician known for his hits, has died at the age of 74. His most famous song, The Road to Hell, was released on the album of the same name in 1989, according to information from the Russian service of the BBC.
The artist's family shared the sad news: "It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris. He passed away peacefully in the hospital surrounded by loved ones after a brief illness."
In addition to The Road to Hell, Rea's repertoire includes other iconic songs, such as the Christmas hit Driving Home For Christmas, which is currently ranked 30th in the charts this year.
Throughout his career, Chris Rea released 25 studio albums, and his popularity peaked in the late 80s and early 90s.
Six of his albums since 1987 have been among the best in the UK, with two of them—The Road To Hell (1989) and Auberge (1991)—reaching the top position in the British charts.
Unfortunately, the musician's health was not always strong: in the 1990s, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, resulting in surgery to remove a tumor and part of his internal organs.
Chris was also diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
In 2016, he suffered a stroke, and in 2017, he lost consciousness during a performance in Oxford and was hospitalized.
Despite all these challenges, he continued to make music and perform on stage until the last years of his life.
