Richard Marx facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Marx
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Marx in 2005
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| Birth name | Richard Noel Marx |
| Born | September 16, 1963 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Origin | Highland Park, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1968–present |
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Richard Noel Marx (born September 16, 1963) is an American singer and songwriter famous for his powerful pop and rock ballads. He has sold over 30 million albums all over the world.
Marx first found success as a songwriter in 1984. He co-wrote the song "What About Me?" for singers Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes, and James Ingram. A year later, he co-wrote another number one country hit, "Crazy," with Kenny Rogers.
His own singing career took off in 1987 with his first album, Richard Marx. It sold over three million copies in the U.S. From 1987 to 1994, he had 14 songs in the top 20 of the music charts. Marx is the only male singer whose first seven singles all reached the top 5 on the Billboard charts. He has had 14 number one hits, both as a singer and as a songwriter for other artists. Some of his most famous songs include "Right Here Waiting", "Hold On to the Nights", and "Hazard".
Marx has also written hit songs for other musicians, like "This I Promise You" for the band NSYNC. He won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 2003 for co-writing "Dance with My Father" with Luther Vandross.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Music
Richard Marx was born in Chicago, Illinois. His mother, Ruth, was a singer, and his father, Dick Marx, was a jazz musician who owned a company that made jingles (short songs for commercials). Because of his father's business, Richard began singing for commercials when he was only five years old.
When Marx was 17, a tape of his songs was given to the famous singer Lionel Richie. Richie was impressed and told Marx he should move to Los Angeles to pursue a music career. Marx took his advice and moved to L.A. to start his journey in the music world.
Music Career
Breakthrough with First Album
Marx released his first album, Richard Marx, in June 1987. It was a huge success and produced four hit singles. His first single, "Don't Mean Nothing", was about the challenges of the music industry and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
His next singles, "Should've Known Better" and "Endless Summer Nights", were also big hits. The fourth single, "Hold On to the Nights", became his first song to reach number one. After the album's success, Marx went on a 14-month world tour.
Continued Success in the Late 1980s
In May 1989, Marx released his second album, Repeat Offender. It went straight to number one on the album charts and sold over 5 million copies in the U.S. The first two singles, "Satisfied" and "Right Here Waiting", both hit number one.
"Right Here Waiting" became a massive international hit. It was number one in several countries in Europe and was his first top ten hit in the United Kingdom. The song has been covered by many other artists over the years.
Career in the 1990s
Marx continued his success into the 1990s. In 1991, he released his third album, Rush Street. It featured famous musicians like Luther Vandross and Billy Joel. The single "Hazard" was a top ten hit in both the U.S. and the U.K.
In 1994, he released Paid Vacation, which also sold over a million copies. The song "Now and Forever" from this album was his last top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100. He released one more album with Capitol Records, Flesh and Bone, in 1997. Later that year, he released a Greatest Hits album.
Music in the 2000s and Beyond
Throughout the 2000s, Marx continued to release new music, including the albums Days in Avalon (2000) and My Own Best Enemy (2004). He also toured and collaborated with other artists. In 2003, he won a Grammy Award for helping write the song "Dance with My Father" for singer Luther Vandross.
In 2014, Marx released the album Beautiful Goodbye. His 2020 album, Limitless, featured the single "Another One Down", which became a hit on the Adult Contemporary chart. This meant he had hit songs on that chart across four different decades. His most recent album, Songwriter, was released in 2022. In 2025, Marx became a coach on the TV show The Voice Australia.
Working with Other Artists
Besides his own music, Richard Marx is a successful songwriter and producer for other musicians.
- 1988: He co-wrote the song "Edge of a Broken Heart" for the rock band Vixen.
- 1997: He sang a duet with Donna Lewis called "At the Beginning" for the animated movie Anastasia.
- 2000: He wrote and produced the hit song "This I Promise You" for the boy band NSYNC.
- 2004: He won a Grammy for co-writing "Dance with My Father" with Luther Vandross.
- 2006: He toured with Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band, along with other famous musicians like Edgar Winter and Sheila E.
Personal Life
In 1989, Richard Marx married actress and dancer Cynthia Rhodes. She is known for her roles in movies like Flashdance and Dirty Dancing. Rhodes also starred in the music video for his first hit, "Don't Mean Nothing." They have three sons together. The couple announced their divorce in 2014.
On December 23, 2015, Marx married actress and TV host Daisy Fuentes.
In 2016, Marx made headlines when he helped flight attendants on a Korean Air flight handle an unruly passenger. He and his wife were flying from Vietnam to South Korea when the incident happened.
Discography
Studio albums
- Richard Marx (1987)
- Repeat Offender (1989)
- Rush Street (1991)
- Paid Vacation (1994)
- Flesh and Bone (1997)
- Days in Avalon (2000)
- My Own Best Enemy (2004)
- Emotional Remains (2008)
- Sundown (2008)
- Christmas Spirit (2012)
- Seven & Seven (2012)
- Beautiful Goodbye (2014)
- Limitless (2020)
- Songwriter (2022)
See also
In Spanish: Richard Marx para niños
