Chris Rea, a “road poet” from Middlesbrough, learned guitar uniquely by mirroring a neighbor’s playing. His music, deeply influenced by his workingclass roots and personal struggles, captured the soul of the North. Despite battling cancer and industry pressures, he created iconic songs, including the accidental Christmas hit “Driving Home for Christmas.” Rea’s resilience and dedication to his art, even through health crises, cemented his legacy as a true musical storyteller.
