Not Forgotten

Chris Rea, died 22 December, age 74. The singer-songwriter was known for 80s hits like Driving Home For Christmas, On The Beach and The Road To Hell.

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Born in Middlesbrough, he was a late starter in music, working a variety of labouring jobs and assisting in his family's ice cream business before he bought his first guitar at the age of 21. After playing in local bands he released his debut solo album, Whatever Happened To Benny Santini?, in 1978. Overseen by Elton John producer, Gus Dudgeon, it proved a hit in the US where its lead single Fool (If You Think It's Over) reached No 12. While success would prove harder to come by in his home country, his trademark blend of blues, pop and soul began to gain him a major following in the mid-80s as he reached the Top 20 with the albums Shamrock Diaries (1985) and On The Beach (1986) before hitting No 2 with Dancing With Strangers (1987), while he topped the charts with his next two LPs, The Road To Hell (1989) and Auberge (1991). Alongside Top 10 singles such as The Road To Hell (Part 2) and Driving Home For Christmas, a rerecorded version of Josephine landed him a Balearic hit in 1987. Beset by health problems in his later years, his releases saw him return to his first love of the Delta blues on albums such as 2002's Dancing Down The Stony Road and 2011's Santo Spirito Blues.

Perry Bamonte, died 24 December, age 65. The London-born musician was the longtime guitarist and keyboardist for the Cure. He first joined the band as a roadie in 1984, going on to become frontman Robert Smith's guitar technician and personal assistant. Following the departure of keyboardist Roger O'Donnell, he was invited to become a full-time member in 1990 and made his first appearance on their 1992 chart-topping album Wish, for which he contributed guitar and keyboards as well as six-string bass on the worldwide hit,