Chris Rea

One of rock music’s greatest survivors, singer-songwriter Chris Rea has consistently produced music of an extremely high calibre. Renowned for his distinctive, gravelly vocal delivery, world-weary lyrics and fluid guitar style, his work has proved immune to the vagaries of fashion, and he’s even survived several near-death experiences (most notably cancer and a stroke) on the way to chalking up global album sales of over 30 million.

A self-taught virtuoso with a life-long love of the blues, Rea remained a prophet without honour in his native UK for the first decade of his career. Though now regarded as a standard, his Grammy-nominated US breakthrough single, Fool (If You Think It’s Over), flopped at home and Rea largely relied upon his stalwart European fanbase to keep him afloat prior to his million-selling seventh album, 1985’s Shamrock Diaries. His fame arguably peaked at the cusp of the 90s, when he notched up two consecutive No.1 albums, The Road To Hell and Auberge, but while ill health has dogged him in recent years, his acclaimed 2019 studio set, Road Songs For Lovers, suggests Chris Rea will be making music of quality and distinction for many years to come.