The Driving Home for Christmas singer passed away yesterday at the age of 74.
'Everybody in Ireland thought he was Irish.'
That's according to a Mountmellick music author Mick Lynch, on singer Chris Rea who died at the age of 74 yesterday.
The musician best known for Driving Home for Christmas had been in hospital after a short illness.
He had a string of other popular hits including the Road to Hell, Fool If You Think It's Over and On the Beach.
Mr Lynch believes he was loved by many music fans in Ireland since early on in his career when he would get mistaken for being Irish.
He says his Christmas hit is as popular as ever this year:
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