New Delhi, Dec. 22 -- British singer-songwriter and former Grammy nominee Chris Rea of Driving Home for Christmas fame breathed his last on Monday.

As per the BBC, the musician's death was confirmed by a family spokesperson.

"It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris. He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family," the spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Born in Middlesbrough in 1951 to an Italian father and an Irish mother, Rea was aged 74 and is survived by his wife and two children.

During his musical career, the singer-songwriter sold more than 40 million records worldwide.

In the UK, Rea's 1986 release Driving Home for Christmas became a fe...