Chris Rea has died

British singer and guitarist Chris Rea has died at the age of 74, the BBC reports.

In a statement, the musician's family said that he died peacefully on December 22 in hospital after a short illness, surrounded by his loved ones.

In the 1990s, the musician was diagnosed with cancer, and in 2001 he underwent surgery to remove his pancreas.

In 2016, Rea suffered a stroke, but continued to engage in musical activities. A year later he was hospitalized from his own concert in Oxford when he collapsed during the performance.

• During his career, Chris Rea recorded 25 studio albums, two of which - The Road To Hell (1989) and Auberge (1991) - topped the British charts. The singer is best known for tracks such as "The Road To Hell", "Driving Home For Christmas", "Josephine", "On the Beach", "Fool (If You Think It's Over)" and "Let's Dance".