Christopher Anton Rea, born on March 4, 1951, is a renowned English rock and blues singer and guitarist hailing from Middlesbrough. Known for his distinctive gravel-voiced guitar playing, Rea has released an impressive twenty-five solo albums, with two of them reaching the top of the UK Albums Chart.
As a "rock's ultimate survivor", Rea has defied the odds by recovering from several serious illnesses, earning him the title of "a major European star by the time he finally cracked the UK Top 10" with his single "The Road to Hell (Part 2)". The album, The Road to Hell (1989),and its successor, Auberge (1991),both topped the album chart, solidifying Rea's status as a rock icon.
Throughout his illustrious career, Rea has released numerous hit songs, including "I Can Hear Your Heartbeat", "Stainsby Girls", "Josephine", "On the Beach", "Let's Dance", "Driving Home for Christmas", "Working on It", "Tell Me There's a Heaven", "Auberge", and "Julia". He has also collaborated with other notable artists, such as Elton John, on the duet "If You Were Me".
Rea has been nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Male Artist three times, in 1988, 1989, and 1990. Despite never touring the United States, he has achieved significant success globally, with sales exceeding 40 million records worldwide.
Born to an Italian father, Camillo Rea, and an Irish mother, Winifred K. Slee, Christopher Rea was one of seven children. His family, of Roman Catholic faith, was well-known locally due to his father's ice cream factory and café chain. Rea worked at the factory as a young boy, clearing tables and making ice cream, before leaving to attend St Mary's College, Middlesbrough, with aspirations to become a journalist.
