Richard Noel Marx, born on September 16, 1963, in Chicago, Illinois, is an acclaimed American singer-songwriter known for his significant contributions to pop and soft rock music. Raised in a musically inclined family, Marx's early exposure to music came through his father, Dick Marx, a jazz musician and founder of a jingle company. This environment nurtured Marx's passion for music, leading him to start singing commercial jingles at the age of five.

Marx's career took a pivotal turn when a demo tape of his songs reached Lionel Richie, who encouraged him to move to Los Angeles. This led to his first major break as a songwriter with the 1984 hit "What About Me?", performed by Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes, and James Ingram. The song topped the US and Canadian Adult Contemporary charts. In 1985, Marx co-wrote "Crazy" with Rogers, which became a number one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart.

In 1987, Marx released his self-titled debut album, which achieved triple-platinum status, and his single "Don't Mean Nothing" reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Between 1987 and 1994, Marx released a series of successful singles, with 14 reaching the top 20 and three hitting number one. Remarkably, Marx is the only male artist to have his first seven singles reach the top 5 on the Billboard charts.

Throughout his career, Marx has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and has written or collaborated on a total of 14 number one singles. His notable hits include "Hazard," "Right Here Waiting," "Hold On to the Nights," "Endless Summer Nights," and "Satisfied." Marx has also written songs for other artists, including "This I Promise You" by NSYNC and "Dance with My Father" by Luther Vandross, the latter earning him a Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 2003.

Marx's personal life includes marriages to actress Cynthia Rhodes from 1989 to 2014, and to television host Daisy Fuentes in 2015. His career, marked by both solo success and collaborations, underscores his enduring influence in the music industry.