Curse of the Christmas singers after Chris Rea becomes latest star to fall victim
Chris Rea became the latest singer celebrated for a festive banger to die over the holiday period and below we look at other notable examples including four musicians who passed on December 25
George Michael tragically lost his life on Christmas Day in 2016 at the age of 53. Similar to Chris, George’s Last Christmas classic with Wham is always played in December, and it even reached the UK number one spot in 2023 and 2024.
George died of heart and liver disease at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. After his death was first announced, Liam Gallagher tweeted: “It better not be true about George Michael.” Fellow iconic rockstar Ringo Starr wrote: “God bless George Michael peace and love to all his friends and family.”(Image:Getty Images)
Exactly ten years prior to the day George died, the “Godfather of Soul” James Brown passed away in Atlanta, Georgia, on Christmas Day in 2006.