The death announcement comes from a family spokesperson, who says that Rea passed away in hospital after a short illness, surrounded by his family.
Chris Rea was born in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire and was known for his bluesy guitar playing, deep voice and a string of hits, mainly from the 1980s.
Among his greatest songs are "The Road to Hell (Part 2)", "On the Beach", "I Can Hear Your Heartbeat" and, not least, the Christmas classic "Driving Home for Christmas".
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