Chris Rea, the Driving Home for Christmas mastermind and long-time Cookham resident, has been remembered as a musician who ‘could do the lot’. Stuart Epps, from Cookham, a sound engineer on several of Rea’s early records, reflected on how the Middlesbrough-born artist rose to fame. Reflecting on those recording sessions, Mr Epps said Rea had been an ‘amazing musician’ whose success was born from his own ‘passion and determination’. Chris Rea recording at The Mill studio in Cookham (credit: Stuart Epps)“He made himself into this success,” said Mr Epps, 73. He recorded his Christmas radio classic at his home near the Mill studio in 1986, Mr Epps said.

Source: Express December 28, 2025 06:02 UTC