On Thursday, March 21, Marx will be performing at the hallowed Carnegie Hall in New York as part of the “Van Morrison All-Star Tribute Concert.” “I will be singing one four-minute song. I will be doing ‘Domino,’ which is probably my favorite Van Morrison song. I wanted to do something uptempo and fun,” he said.
On Long Island, he has performed at the YMCA Boulton Center in Bay Shore on multiple occasions. “I have played there many times, and I have played all around New York City and New York State for over 30 years. New York is certainly in my top five places to play. I don’t think I’ve ever had a concert in the New York area that wasn’t a blast,” he said.
Each day, Marx is motivated simply by “staying on the right side of the dirt.” “To stay upright and to keep at it. I try to focus on staying really positive and creative. I am having more fun in my life now than I’ve ever had before,” he said.
Marx continued, “I am madly in love with my wife and having a career that I am so grateful for after all these years. I still get to go all over the world and play songs that people already know. Whenever I come back, they want to keep hearing me sing and that’s a privilege.”
On the impact of technology on the music business, Marx said, “Technology is certainly not good in terms of the business side of things for up-and-coming songwriters to make a good living. It is more difficult to make a decent living than it has ever been. I think the pay scale and the changes to the compensation over the last eight years have been abysmal. My sons are in their 20’s and they are incredibly talented, and they are pursuing music careers but I feel for them since it is very hard to make a good living. I am bummed out for the next generation of songwriters.”
Marx noted that he is planning to do a vinyl release of his next album. “I really miss the days of bringing an album home, pulling a record out of a jacket and reading the liner notes. Vinyl was more than just listening to the music, it was an experience,” he said. “I am glad there is a new generation of people that get that, and they are enjoying vinyl. I am hoping it just grows and grows.”
His advice for young and aspiring singer-songwriters is to ‘be true to who you are.” “Be true to whatever it is you feel that you want to say that sets you apart,” he explained. “Stick to what you think is your gift and stick to what you have to offer.”
Throughout his respected career in the music business, Marx’s first seven singles reached the Top 5 on the Billboard charts, and he has sold in excess of 30 million albums worldwide. As a producer, Marx has produced for a wide range of recording artists. Marx holds the distinction of having four decades of No. 1 hit singles. His music has spanned such genres as pop, rock, soft rock and adult contemporary.
Some of Marx’s most popular songs include “Don’t Mean Nothing,” “Should’ve Known Better,” “Endless Summer Nights,” “Hold On to the Nights,” “Satisfied,” “Angelia,” “Right Here Waiting,” as well as “At The Beginning,” his duet with Donna Lewis (from the Anastasia soundtrack).
Regarding the key to longevity in the music business, Marx said, “You need to do what you love. I never made a song thinking about an audience. First and foremost, I write and create to please myself. Then, there will be a chance that other people will like it too. I am still mystified by the songwriting process. I get very excited each time I write a new song.”
Marx listed Gladys Knight, Halsey, Annie Lennox, and Tove Lo as his dream female duet choices. He also complimented the voice of Martina McBride. “Martina recorded a song that I wrote that was in Bambi II called ‘Through Your Eyes.’ I really loved hearing her sing something that I wrote and I met her and she is lovely,” he said.
In the bluegrass world, Marx collaborated with Rhonda Vincent on the title track of her album Taken. “That was really cool. We actually have never met. I was always a fan of hers and I was so flattered that she reached out to me to sing on that song,” he said. “I love that song. I did my vocal in my studio and I sent it to her. It was one of my favorite things that I have sung over the last 10 years. Rhonda is awesome.”
For his fans, he concluded, “My shows are very interactive and I love to talk to the audience and hang out with them. I want the audience to go home after each show feeling like they have hung out with me. I am pretty diligent about communicating my gratitude. I still love what I am doing and I am very grateful for the fans.”
He defined the word success as “waking up and going to sleep at night happy with who you are.”
To learn more about global music star Richard Marx, check out his official Facebook page and his website.
