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Chris Rea, the rock and blues musician, spent many hours traveling by car throughout his career, a passion that significantly influenced his songwriting. Known for his gravelly voice and expert slide guitar technique, Rea released 25 solo albums, two of which reached number one on the UK charts. Among his most famous tracks are “Road to Hell,” “Auberge,” “On the Beach,” and the perennial favorite “Driving Home for Christmas.”
Born in 1951 in Middlesbrough to an Italian father and Irish mother, Rea grew up as one of seven siblings. His father, Camillo Rea, was locally renowned for Camillo’s Ice Cream Factory and its cafes. As a teenager, Chris worked in these family-run cafes and took his driving test in one of his dad’s ice cream vans, famously causing the examiner to fall off his seat during the emergency stop. Despite the mishap, the examiner still passed him. Rea later bought his first guitar, a 1961 Hofner V3, while still working in the family business, even though his initial intent was to expand the ice cream cafes globally. Instead, he devoted his time to perfecting his slide guitar skills.
Rea’s early musical ventures included playing with local bands such as The Elastic Band and Magdalene, but it was with The Beautiful Losers that he first gained attention. This led to a solo deal with Magnet Records, with his debut album “Whatever Happened to Benny Santini?” released in 1978. The single “Fool (If You Think It’s Over)” became a US hit, topping the adult contemporary Billboard chart and securing him a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. Michael Levey, co-founder of Magnet Records, described Rea as “more of a thoughtful, introspective poet than a natural pop performer.” Alongside music, Rea also pursued his childhood dream of composing for film, exemplified by his work on the 1996 movie “La Passione,” as well as his contributions to “Soft Top Hard Shoulder” and his acting role in the comedy “Parting Shots.”
One of Rea’s best-known songs, “Driving Home for Christmas,” was initially resisted by him when the record company decided to release it in 1986. The song’s inspiration came from a difficult year in his life, notably when he had to travel from London to Middlesbrough by car with his wife. The journey, amid snowy conditions and heavy traffic, sparked the lyrics that flowed effortlessly. Rea described the songwriting process as an almost instantaneous moment of creativity. Interestingly, he did not perform the song live until 2014, when he staged an elaborate show complete with snow cannons to simulate a winter drive.
Beyond Christmas tunes, Rea’s experiences on the road also inspired hits like “Road to Hell,” which was born out of frustration with traffic jams around the M4 and M25 intersections. His career faced a pause when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at 33, which led to the removal of several vital organs and left him managing diabetes and kidney issues. These challenges made Rea reevaluate his music career, notably choosing not to tour in America despite his success there. Reflecting on his journey, he said, “I was never a rock star or pop star and all the illness has been my chance to do what I’d always wanted to do with music.”
Rea’s fascination with cars extended beyond music. He was an avid collector and racer of vintage vehicles, including a 1957 Morris Minor 1000 police car. Through his friendship with Eddie Jordan, founder of the Jordan Formula 1 team, Rea even got involved briefly in the racing world, managing the tire warmer for driver Eddie Irvine’s car. Despite health setbacks such as a stroke in 2016, Rea remained active, releasing his 24th album, “Road Songs for Lovers,” and continuing to reflect on life’s journeys through the metaphor of the road. He once remarked, “You get ideas for songs and you’re actually on a road – the road always becomes a metaphor for where we’re going in life.”
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