Richard Marx brings on the endless hits

As the perfect precursor to Valentine's Day, Richard Marx will bring on the hits Feb. 4 at the Stardust Event Center at Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City.

The Grammy-winning singer/songwriter is set to play an acoustic show filled with tunes from his rich collection including "Right Here Waiting," "Should've Known Better," "Now and Forever" and "Endless Summer Nights."

Marx, who garnered a wealth of hits as a songwriter and solo artist throughout the '80s and '90s, is still writing for many other artists today and never tires of the craft or performing.

"I'm just really enjoying the intimacy of the solo acoustic shows right now," said Marx, during a recent phone interview.

He plans a number of the acoustic shows this year where he said it will range from playing with a few strings or 20 strings to a full symphony.

"It kind of runs the gamut. Even though it's a solo acoustic show, there are a lot of ways to do it," he said. "When there's not a band up there and I'm playing in a smaller venue where it's just me and the audience, there's something so interactive about it and personal."

He also looks forward to the band concerts where he gets a chance to rock out. "There are certain things about a band show that are not like anything else," he said.

Marx, a native of Winnetka, Ill., grew up in Highland Park. He and his wife, actor/dancer Cynthia Rhodes, of "Dirty Dancing" fame, have three sons and reside in the Chicago area.

In 2011, Marx said he had the opportunity to play many cities and countries that he's never performed in before including Manila, India, and Finland.

"I'm just so grateful for that kind of thing ... Last year I played Moscow for the first time and that was very different than I expected. My perception of Russia was one thing and when I got there I remember calling my wife and saying how beautiful it was there and it was warm and sunny. And it was cold and cloudy with little bits of snow in Chicago ... The people were great and the audiences were great there," he said.

Aside from having success in his own right as a singer and performer, Marx has written and produced tunes for a multitude of artists including  Luther Vandross, Barbra Streisand, Natalie Cole, Josh Groban and Keith Urban.

Last year Marx also released his first Christmas effort, "The Christmas EP," featuring five songs.

"I had been doing these recordings for my wife for Christmas every year with my sons and coming up with new arrangements for the classics. I realized  that in doing that I had started a project by accident. So I re-recorded all of the stuff except I left my sons' vocals on the tracks so they became my background vocals," Marx said.

The musician said although the idea was done too late to do a full Christmas album, he plans to release a holiday album for this Christmas.

It was wonderful for Marx to work with his sons on the project.

"It's the best. All nepotism aside, they're really great singers. So, it's fun for me," he said. Marx said he encourages his sons in whatever they'd like to pursue in life.

He received that type of encouragement from his own parents, who were in the music industry as well. His father, Dick, made a living as a jingle writer and jazz musician while his mother Ruth was a singer.

Among the many things he learned from his father, he said, was first and foremost his work ethic.

"His work ethic is something I've always aspired to replicate. It's why I'm never late and it's why I'm never flaky," he said. "I grew up watching my dad go to work everyday where he couldn't wait to get there ... And he loved what he did so much and I was aware of that. I have the same thing. My kids grew up watching their dad love what he does for a living. There's probably nothing in the world, aside from a healthy, happy family, that's more valuable or much more of a gift," Marx said.