Chris Rea RIP

[BassAdder60]

Sadly Chris Rea has just died 

 

Awesome singer and guitarist 

[Marvin]

Great guitarist, great voice and always came across as a really down to earth nice person. 

 

RIP 

[bassbiscuits]

Ah no, that’s really sad. Was just listening to Driving Home for Christmas the other day and enjoying his voice. Tasty guitarist too by all accounts. 

[Chezz55]

Sad news, a fine musician and songsmith.

[Beedster]

He’s always been there hasn’t he, calmly doing his thing. If I was gonna be a rock star, I’d want to be the Chris Rea type of rock star. RIP Chris 🙏

[franzbassist]

I'm gutted. I remember I discovered his music when I was at uni in the 80s . "Shamrock Diaries" and especially "On the Beach" were go to CDs for much of the time.  The latter is still one of my favourite albums.

 

RIP Chris 🫶

 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2025 by franzbassist

[ezbass]

Often overlooked when folk come to talking about top slide players, but Chris had both great chops and tone. Stainsby Girl is the standout track for me. Sad day.

Edited December 22, 2025 by ezbass

[Beedster]

Stainsby Girls was indeed a great song, very Springsteen 👍

Edited December 22, 2025 by Beedster

[Paul S]

I love this one.  Same meat, different gravy  

 

 

 

An old mate of mine had a long and varied career as a film camerman.  He was telling me just a few months ago that the best time he ever had was following Chris Rea around Italy filming his self-funded film all about cars and ice cream.

Edited December 22, 2025 by Paul S

[Peejay]

Properly sad news.

Saw him in concert numerous times and his slide guitar playing gave me goosebumps. The Road to Hell is the album/track that really made him famous but some of his earlier stuff is awesome. Wired to the moon and Shamrock Diaries are massively underrated albums IMHO. Not only a great player and a brilliant songwriter but a genuinely humble, honest guy.

Gutted to hear this.

[Len_derby]

A very knowledgeable and talented blues performer. His Blue Guitars compilation is well worth a listen. 
Does this now make Bob Mortimer the most famous Middlesbrough person alive?

[Beedster]

1 hour ago, Beedster said:

Stainsby Girls was indeed a great song, very Springsteen 👍

Thinking on this, not just his music but his world view was a lot of things that Springsteen’s was in the 70’s/80’s

[Huge Hands]

I shall crack an egg in my bath in his honour tonight.....

 

Seriously though, will be sorely missed.   I always loved when "Driving Home For Christmas" came on when I would drive home to the North East as a young lad. Holy ground indeed. 

 

RIP Chris.

[Hellzero]

Really liked his playing and singing.

 

I discovered him in the late 80's with my first job as the car I was using back then had a cassette player with a Chris Rea album definitely locked in... And as I was driving this car 4 hours a day, I ended up really appreciating his music.

 

Weird way to discover someone's talent, I know.

 

May he rest in peace.

[lowdown]

Three very good friends of mine have all toured on Keyboards with Chris at various times.

They had nothing but great things to say about him and often spoke fondly about him as a musician and a human being.

 

R.I.P.

[EliasMooseblaster]

4 hours ago, ezbass said:

Often overlooked when folk come to talking about top slide players, but Chris had both great chops and tone.

 

I came here to say exactly this! Always felt he rarely (never?) got the recognition he deserved as a slide guitarist.

[silverfoxnik]

5 hours ago, BassAdder60 said:

Sadly Chris Rea has just died 

 

Awesome singer and guitarist 

Agree with all the comments above;  sad news, especially at Christmas time. 

 

RIP 😞

 

And condolences to his family. 

 

IMO, he was very much one of the people, if that's not too trite a thing to say. 

 

We used to do this one in our set, which I always enjoyed... 

 

 

 

[Misdee]

Another good one gone. One of those artists who we all took for granted, but now he's no longer with us I can't think of any equivalent  singer-songwriter to replace him.

 

I remember hearing an interview with Chris Rea once where he spoke about wanting to be like Joni Mitchell, where each album was a progression of his style regardless of commercial appeal or fashion trends. Well, I think he achieved that, so rest peacefully Chris.

[MacDaddy]

3 hours ago, lowdown said:

They had nothing but great things to say about him and often spoke fondly about him as a musician and a human being.

 

 

Lovely story about him on New Model Army's Joolz Denby's Facebook page.

 

https://www.facebook.com/share/1G7qSysD2w/

 

 

[Hellzero]

For some reason, I always loved this tune and video...

 

 

 

[iainbass]

Just plugged the bass in and had a bash... FIYTIO....et al...Yes he was a very good blues player but Im a sucker for his slushy stuff... sooo well written. Classics all of em.

[EliasMooseblaster]

46 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

For some reason, I always loved this tune and video...

 

 

My parents had this album on cassette when I was growing up, so I've memories of enjoying this one on a lot of car journeys! (First time I've seen the video, mind)

[Peejay]

For those who prefer an alternative slant of his on Christmas check out Joys of Christmas from Dancing with Strangers. And his slide work on That Girl of Mine.

Great songwriter.

[snorkie635]

A bit of my personal history lost with the passing of the man. Rest easy Chris, you made a huge difference.