Chris Rea Artistfacts

Chris Rea song list

Chris Rea Artistfacts

March 4, 1951-December 22, 2025
He sold somewhere in the realm of 30 million albums, but Rea didn't look or act like a famous musician. In the '70s and '80s, he was often mistaken for a stagehand at TV appearances, and sometimes even at his own concerts.
In his native UK, he's best known for his 10th album, The Road to Hell, which went to #1 after it was released in 1989. Written in a week, the album deals with the isolation and ennui he felt after buying a house on the shore and commuting to London.
He was a top slide guitarist, but didn't start playing the instrument until he was 22.
An auto racing enthusiast, Rea owned Ferraris and other sports cars, and often raced on the amateur circuit. Many of his songs contain motoring imagery, although they're not really about the cars. "It's about people in cars, it's not about the car itself," he said in a Songfacts interview.
For a short time, he was bandmates with David Coverdale - they were in a group called Magdalene. He later played with Rod Argent in the band Deltics.
A turning point for Rea came with his 1985 album Shamrock Diaries, which was inspired by his time in Ireland and his Irish heritage. To this point, he was making music with an eye toward commercial success, but Shamrock Diaries made no effort to follow a trend or reach a specific market. Surprisingly, it sold well, as did his next efforts, which were also done on his terms. "Without the Irish and Shamrock Diaries there would have been no Road To Hell," Rea said.
His mother died in 1983 the day after his second daughter, Josephine, was born.
He wrote and produced the 1996 film La Passione, about a 10-year-old English boy with a passion for auto racing. Much of it is based on Rea's experiences, but he said it's not autobiographical.
He had a number of health issues, starting in 1994 when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. After having his pancreas and some of his colon removed, he became a diabetic. He later had several surgeries to deal with problems with his digestive system.
Inspired by Pink Floyd, he put on an atypically elaborate stage show when he toured for The Road to Hell album. At the end of each show, he and the band would disappear behind a puff of smoke, replaced with a cube as seen on the album cover.
Chris Rea passed away on December 22, 2025, following a short illness. The day before his death, he shared a final affecting post: a photograph of a car edging along a snowy motorway, accompanied by a road sign and the caption, "Driving home for Christmas with a thousand memories."

He added a characteristically wry aside: "Top to toe in tailbacks. If it's a white Christmas, let's hope the journey's a smooth one"; a farewell that reads like one last snapshot from the road that defined his most enduring song.
Chris Rea first met his future wife, Joan Lesley, on April 6, 1968, when he was 17 years old. Joan attended Stainsby Secondary Modern School in Middlesbrough, which inspired Rea's 1985 hit single "Stainsby Girls," a tribute to Joan and her classmates. The couple remained together for over five decades until Rea's death in December 2025.
Chris and Joan had two daughters, Josephine (b. 1983) and Julia (b. 1989). Both girls inspired tracks named after them: "Josephine" (from 1985's Shamrock Diaries) and "Julia" (from 1993's Espresso Logic).

Comments

Be the first to comment...

More Songfacts:

Hey NineteenSteely Dan

Steely Dan's engineer, Roger Nichols, built one of the first drum machines, which they used on "Hey Nineteen."

Born To Be WildSteppenwolf

The first popular song to use the phrase "Heavy Metal" was "Born To Be Wild" by Steppenwolf, which was featured in the movie Easy Rider.

Carrie AnneThe Hollies

The Hollies' 1967 hit "Carrie Anne" is about the British singer-actress Marianne Faithfull, but with "Marianne" changed to "Carrie-Anne" to disguise it. Faithfull dated Allan Clarke of The Hollies.

Hey JudeThe Beatles

Paul McCartney wrote "Hey Jude" to comfort John Lennon's 5-year-old son Julian, whose parents were getting a divorce.

MargaritavilleJimmy Buffett

"Margaritaville" is a state of mind, but it's most associated with Key West, Florida, where Jimmy Buffett moved when he was 24.

Paranoid AndroidRadiohead

Radiohead's "Paraonid Android" was written after a confrontation in a Los Angeles bar with an irate woman.

Editor's Picks

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."