Chris Rea

Christopher Anton Rea (4 March, 1951) is a successful British singer-songwriter, from Middlesbrough. He is best known for his 1989 album The Road to Hell. His father owned an ice-cream parlour just outside Middlesbrough, in Guisborough, but previously had parlours throughout the area. Locally, "going to Rea's" (pronounced "Ree-a's") meant going out for ice-cream.

Biography

Early career

Rea took over from David Coverdale in the band Magdalene, going on to win a national talent contest in 1975 but never being able to sign a record contract. He left the band to pursue a solo career achieving great success when he signed to the Magnet label and recorded the album Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? in 1978 ("Benny Santini" being rumoured to have been a stage name Rea considered). With the help of single Fool (If You Think It's Over) the album went gold in the U.S..

Related Topics:
David Coverdale - Magdalene - 1975 - 1978 - U.S.

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European breakthrough

Rea began to focus his attention on Europe, releasing eight albums in the 1980s. The New Light Through Old Windows compilation album in 1988 brought Rea great success but his next full album was to be his major breakthrough. The Road to Hell enjoyed massive success, not least of which was becoming the number one album in the UK. These successes could not be mirrored in the U.S., however, where it failed to chart. The follow-up album, Auberge, also enjoyed massive European success.

Related Topics:
Europe - 1980s - 1988 - Auberge

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After Auberge

Since 1991's Auberge album Rea has continued to release albums at least every other year. While not as successful as his two breakthrough albums he still records and tours.

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In 2001 a remix of Rea's 1986 On The Beach single by York was released and enjoyed moderate dancefloor success.

Related Topics:
2001 - 1986 - York

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Fighting with cancer and back to the blues

Following a severe cancer (and only a 50-50 chance to survive after an operation), Rea promised to himself that if he could make it out after the operation, he would be returning to the Blues roots. This is what he did in 2002, releasing the album Dancing Down The Stony Road following recording sessions in France and the UK. (An abridged version of the album was later released with the title Stony Road.) The album was followed by a DVD of the same name, comprising a "Making Of" documentary and his performance at the Montreaux Jazz Festival. Rea set up his own JazzeeBlue label in 2003 to free himself from the pressure of record companies and their illogical expectations. Since then he has released the blues albums Blue Street (Five Guitars) (an instrumental jazz-blues effort with impressive guitarwork by Rea) and the recently released The Blue Jukebox (another jazz-blues influenced album released to critical acclaim). The bluesy Rea showcases a musician who has stayed true to his roots. He has recently worked with David Knopfler for two albums, Wishbones (2001) and Ship of Dreams (2004). He is a true supporter of charity organizations and a master painter in his own right. In the words of one of his songs, he is still "dancing down the stony road".

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