Chris Rea, British singer

Chris Rea, the British singer-songwriter best known for the hit “Driving Home for Christmas,” has died at the age of 74, his family announced Monday.

“It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of beloved Chris,” said a statement on behalf of his wife and two children, the BBC reported. “He passed away peacefully today in hospital after a brief illness, surrounded by his family.”

Additional details were not immediately available.

Christopher Anton Rea was born in 1951 in Middlesbrough, northeast England, to an Italian father and an Irish mother. He was one of seven children.

He came to the guitar late, picking it up at age 21 and playing in bands before becoming a solo artist.

Rea found fame in the 1980s in Britain with hits such as “Fool (If You Think It’s Over)” and “Let’s Dance.”

Over the course of his career, Rea recorded 25 solo albums, two of which, “The Road to Hell” in 1989 and “Auberge” in 1991, reached number one in the country. The song for which he is probably best known in the United States, “Fool (If You Think It’s Over)”, earned Rea a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 1979.

“Driving Home for Christmas”, first released in 1986, became one of the UK’s best-loved festive songs and appeared in a Marks and Spencer TV advert this year.

According to the BBC, the family was known locally for the Camillo’s ice cream factory and cafes, owned by their father.

Middlesbrough mayor Chris Cooke paid tribute to Rea on Monday, saying the singer “leaves a brilliant legacy”.

“Chris Rea was deeply proud of his Middlesbrough roots and the people of our town were equally proud to consider him one of their own,” he said, according to the BBC. “Millions of people around the world will hear his music tonight. His songs helped put Middlesbrough on the map and he leaves a brilliant legacy.”

He had suffered from health problems, including pancreatic cancer, and in 2016 suffered a stroke. In more recent years, he moved away from pop and released several blues albums.

Rhea is survived by his wife and two daughters.