Singer/Songwriter Richard Marx
Created | Updated Jun 7, 2002
Richard Marx was born in Chicago, Illinois on 16th September 1963. He began singing at a young age, on commercial jingles produced by his father.
It was hardly surprising, coming from a musical family that he turned to songwriting to make a career for himself, and in 1987, released his first album, entitled simply: Richard Marx. On this album was the single, 'Hold On to the Nights', which gave him his first number 1 in the US.
His next album, Repeat Offender, was released in 1989, containing some of his best (and loudest!) songs from his early days, with album tracks such as 'Nothin' You Can Do About It',and 'Heart On the Line'.
This album also contained the 'kitchen dancing', 'air guitar' number, 'Satisfied' (another number 1 in the US). This track featured his wife, Cynthia Rhodes (and lead singer of the band Animotion) on backing vocals. The album also had piano ballad, 'Right Here Waiting', on it. This song also got to number 1 in the US but was held off the number 1 spot in the UK, instead settling at number 2.
Rush Street was released in the early nineties and contained collaborations with other artists such as Luther Vandross who featured on backing vocals on 'Playing With Fire' and 'Keep Coming Back'. Billy Joel played the piano on 'I Get No Sleep'.
It also hosted the acoustic story-song 'Hazard', which got to number 3 in the UK. Written in the back of his tour bus in 1990 and apparently based on a true story, it also holds lyrical similarities with Bruce Springsteen's song 'The River'.
Apart from his great musical talent, I personally feel that Richard is a great poet. For example, take this lyric from 'Now and Forever':
'Whenever I'm weary
From the battles that rage in my head
You make sense of madness
When my sanity hangs by a thread
I lose my way but still you seem to understand
Now and forever I will be your man.'
Of course, apart from the 'sentimental stuff', he has also written some great lyrics to say other things. Take this one from the Rush Street album track, 'Hands In Your Pocket':
'We put people into power but we fight our wars alone
They take such good care of the rest of the world but what about the folks at home?
Point the finger at the man you chose
He'll say he's sorry but it's just the way it goes.'
Richard has worked with many other artists, writing for, and with Nsync, SheDaisy, (I hope that's how you spell it) Michael Bolton and Kenny Rodgers. His most recent album, Days In Avalon, was released in September 2000 and contains what I would describe as some of his best work to date. Keen to try different styles he has allowed his new music to be influenced by country and folk, with simple, yet satisfying songs like: 'Almost Everything', 'Shine' and 'Straight From the Heart'. These, though different, still have that Richard Marx touch.
However, his new album also has some great toe-tappers, such as 'Power Of You And Me', 'Waiting On Your Love' and 'Too Early To Be Over'. Both these last two, returning to his former collaborations with lyricist Fee Waybill.
Richard has worked with many good causes over the years. He wrote 'Children of the Night' after meeting and talking to some of the runaway children who sought sanctuary at the Children of the Night Foundation in LA. Some of the children sung on the record and the royalties from the song were donated to the foundation.
Read more about Richards life, music and work for good causes at his official site: www.richardmarx.com
It was hardly surprising, coming from a musical family that he turned to songwriting to make a career for himself, and in 1987, released his first album, entitled simply: Richard Marx. On this album was the single, 'Hold On to the Nights', which gave him his first number 1 in the US.
His next album, Repeat Offender, was released in 1989, containing some of his best (and loudest!) songs from his early days, with album tracks such as 'Nothin' You Can Do About It',and 'Heart On the Line'.
This album also contained the 'kitchen dancing', 'air guitar' number, 'Satisfied' (another number 1 in the US). This track featured his wife, Cynthia Rhodes (and lead singer of the band Animotion) on backing vocals. The album also had piano ballad, 'Right Here Waiting', on it. This song also got to number 1 in the US but was held off the number 1 spot in the UK, instead settling at number 2.
Rush Street was released in the early nineties and contained collaborations with other artists such as Luther Vandross who featured on backing vocals on 'Playing With Fire' and 'Keep Coming Back'. Billy Joel played the piano on 'I Get No Sleep'.
It also hosted the acoustic story-song 'Hazard', which got to number 3 in the UK. Written in the back of his tour bus in 1990 and apparently based on a true story, it also holds lyrical similarities with Bruce Springsteen's song 'The River'.
Apart from his great musical talent, I personally feel that Richard is a great poet. For example, take this lyric from 'Now and Forever':
'Whenever I'm weary
From the battles that rage in my head
You make sense of madness
When my sanity hangs by a thread
I lose my way but still you seem to understand
Now and forever I will be your man.'
Of course, apart from the 'sentimental stuff', he has also written some great lyrics to say other things. Take this one from the Rush Street album track, 'Hands In Your Pocket':
'We put people into power but we fight our wars alone
They take such good care of the rest of the world but what about the folks at home?
Point the finger at the man you chose
He'll say he's sorry but it's just the way it goes.'
Richard has worked with many other artists, writing for, and with Nsync, SheDaisy, (I hope that's how you spell it) Michael Bolton and Kenny Rodgers. His most recent album, Days In Avalon, was released in September 2000 and contains what I would describe as some of his best work to date. Keen to try different styles he has allowed his new music to be influenced by country and folk, with simple, yet satisfying songs like: 'Almost Everything', 'Shine' and 'Straight From the Heart'. These, though different, still have that Richard Marx touch.
However, his new album also has some great toe-tappers, such as 'Power Of You And Me', 'Waiting On Your Love' and 'Too Early To Be Over'. Both these last two, returning to his former collaborations with lyricist Fee Waybill.
Richard has worked with many good causes over the years. He wrote 'Children of the Night' after meeting and talking to some of the runaway children who sought sanctuary at the Children of the Night Foundation in LA. Some of the children sung on the record and the royalties from the song were donated to the foundation.
Read more about Richards life, music and work for good causes at his official site: www.richardmarx.com
