Londonderry Musician Paul Casey to Reinterpret Chris Rea’s Classic Songs

As a child, singer-songwriter Paul Casey’s father frequently played him Chris Rea’s music. The guitarist, who hails from Londonderry, did not anticipate then that he would not only form a friendship with the individual he credits as his musical inspiration but also reinterpret some of Rea’s most renowned compositions for an upcoming album. The album, titled “Rea-imagine,” is slated for release next Spring and will be presented live for the first time at the 2025 City of Derry Jazz festival. “The reason I play guitar is because of Chris Rea,” Paul informed BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme. Rea, widely recognized for hits such as “Driving Home for Christmas” and “Road to Hell,” has sold over 40 million records globally. The bond between the two musicians spans nearly two decades. Their initial meeting took place backstage at a Chris Rea concert at Belfast’s Kings Hall. A subsequent meeting in London saw Paul provide Chris with a demo tape. “He called me up a few days later”, Paul said. “He said he loved my voice and that he was amazed by how close my guitar style was to his.” “We started working together then, first I went on tour as a support act. I went on to join Chris’ band and then I was his studio engineer for a time too.” “Sometimes I did have to pinch myself,” Paul said. Rea underwent a pancreatectomy in 2001 following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He suffered a stroke in 2016 but recovered to launch an album. In recent years, he has largely withdrawn from public view. In 2023, Rea penned a song named “The Peace Bridge,” about Derry’s celebrated landmark, which Paul subsequently recorded. The concept for “Rea-imagine” originated after Paul’s performance at the Glastonbury music festival earlier this year. “When I was invited to play Glastonbury, Hot Press interviewed Chris and he spoke about how my guitar style is very like his.” “That started me thinking about doing something for the City of Derry Jazz Festival and I just thought a night of Chris’ music would be totally different instead of my own.” “A friend in public relations suggested the title should be Rea-Imagine and I thought, there’s an album there.” “I then started recording songs keeping true to Chris but in a way that I would approach them”. So, what is the approach to reimagining the internationally acclaimed back catalogue of a rock icon? “I do send the tracks to Chris,” said Paul. “I know I always have his blessing as he knows I will stay true to his music. These are the songs that I grew up with and I love to play them live,” he added.