Stories to Tell by Richard Marx

When I first met my husband Jeff Morris in 2010, we agreed on something almost from the first date forward: We wanted to spend money on experiences like live music and travel, rather than buying things like fancy purses, clothing or expensive furniture. We wanted to see our favorite bands in San Francisco and abroad, travel with carry-on only, and do it together for as long as we can. Our shared love of live music has made me a big fan of biographies written by musicians. This week’s LLP recommendation is by a man who you might not recognize by name immediately, but you will for sure know his work when you hear it played. Richard Marx is one of the most prolific singer-song writers in the history of American music. In his autobiography, “Stories to Tell,” Marx combs through his career that includes 14 number one hit songs and a song of the year Grammy with Luther Vandross. He has collaborated with Barbra Streisand, Kenny Loggins, Whitney Houston, Keith Urban, Josh Groban, Natalie Cole, Kenny Rogers and more. What is so interesting about Marx is that unlike many tortured musicians, he grew up with loving and kind parents. He then had a very traditional, long-term, married life first with “Dirty Dancing” actress Cynthia Rhodes, and later with MTV favorite, Daisy Fuentes. He was a success both inside and outside the studio. My dad used to have a little sign on his office wall that said, “Being Nice Matters.” When I was reading this book, I thought of that sign in relation to the life of Richard Marx. He was nice to people when he was young, and he is nice to people now, and it has made him a huge success. I enjoyed learning about Richard’s life – and I appreciate how he must have encountered many people in music not as nice as him along the way. “Stories to Tell” Is a behind-the-scenes gift to music fans everywhere. To buy this book on Amazon click here.