Dick Marx
Encyclopedia
Dick Marx was an American jazz
pianist and arranger. He also composed for film, television, and commercials.
Richard Marx
, from that marriage. Marx also had two daughters, Nancy and Judy, and a son, Jim, from a previous marriage.
s in Chicago
. In the 1950s he accompanied Helen Merrill
and released several albums under his own name. From the 1960s, he worked extensively in advertising
, writing some of the most popular jingle
s for brand
s such as Ken-L-Ration, Doublemint
, Kellogg's Raisin Bran
, Dial Soap, Arm & Hammer
, and Nestle Crunch
. In 1968, he composed the fight song for the Chicago Blackhawks
, Here Come the Hawks
, which is still used extensively today.
In 1975, Marx wrote the news theme for Chicago station WBBM-TV
, based on an old folk song "I Love Chicago, Chicago My Home." The theme was very popular during the late 1970s and early 1980s, when WBBM was the top-rated station in the market. Other CBS
-owned stations soon began using the theme. The 10-note melody has since been incorporated into other news music packages, most recently "The CBS Enforcer Music Collection" by Gari Communications.
Marx moved to Los Angeles
in 1986, where he scored films such as A League of Their Own
and Edwards and Hunt and TV shows such as Fudge
. He arranged for popular musicians such as Joe Cocker
, Yoshiki
, and his son, Richard Marx
.
in 1997, and died shortly thereafter in Highland Park, Illinois
.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist and arranger. He also composed for film, television, and commercials.
Personal
Marx married Ruth Marx (née Guildoo) and had a son, singer/songwriter and record producerRecord producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Richard Marx
Richard Marx
Richard Noel Marx is an American adult contemporary and pop/rock singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He had a string of hit singles in the late 1980s and 1990s, including "Endless Summer Nights", "Right Here Waiting", "Now and Forever", and "Hazard"...
, from that marriage. Marx also had two daughters, Nancy and Judy, and a son, Jim, from a previous marriage.
Career
Marx played piano from childhood, and got his professional start playing in nightclubNightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. In the 1950s he accompanied Helen Merrill
Helen Merrill
Helen Merrill is an internationally known jazz vocalist.Merrill's recording career has spanned six decades and she is popular with fans of jazz in Japan and Italy as well as in her native United States...
and released several albums under his own name. From the 1960s, he worked extensively in advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
, writing some of the most popular jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
s for brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
s such as Ken-L-Ration, Doublemint
Doublemint
Doublemint is a flavor of chewing gum made by the Wrigley Company. It was launched in the United States in 1914, and has had variable market share since that time....
, Kellogg's Raisin Bran
Raisin Bran
Raisin bran is a breakfast cereal manufactured by several companies under a variety of brand names, including Kellogg's Raisin Bran; General Mills' Total Raisin Bran, a variant by General Mills called Raisin Nut Bran; and Ralcorp's Post Raisin Bran.-History:Skinner's Raisin Bran was the first...
, Dial Soap, Arm & Hammer
Arm & Hammer
Arm & Hammer is a registered trademark of Church and Dwight, an American manufacturer of household products. The logo of this brand is a muscular arm holding a hammer...
, and Nestle Crunch
Nestlé Crunch
Nestlé Crunch is the name of a chocolate bar made of milk chocolate with crisped rice mixed in, produced by Nestlé. Its current slogan is, "For the Kid in You." It was first introduced in 1937....
. In 1968, he composed the fight song for the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
, Here Come the Hawks
Here Come the Hawks
"Here Come the Hawks!" is the official fight song and introduction of the Chicago Blackhawks. The song was written by J. Swayzee and produced by the Dick Marx Orchestra and Choir in 1968. It is still played today during the pre-game video. An abbreviated rendition is also played following the end...
, which is still used extensively today.
In 1975, Marx wrote the news theme for Chicago station WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
, based on an old folk song "I Love Chicago, Chicago My Home." The theme was very popular during the late 1970s and early 1980s, when WBBM was the top-rated station in the market. Other CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
-owned stations soon began using the theme. The 10-note melody has since been incorporated into other news music packages, most recently "The CBS Enforcer Music Collection" by Gari Communications.
Marx moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1986, where he scored films such as A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own is a 1992 American comedy-drama film that tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League . Directed by Penny Marshall, the film stars Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Rosie O'Donnell...
and Edwards and Hunt and TV shows such as Fudge
Fudge (TV series)
Fudge is an American children's television series produced by Amblin Entertainment in association with MTE, based on a series of Judy Blume books about a young boy nicknamed Fudge. The series ran for two seasons , with 24 episodes following a telefilm adaptation of Blume's novel Fudge-A-Mania,...
. He arranged for popular musicians such as Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
, Yoshiki
Yoshiki
, better known by his stage name YOSHIKI, is a musician, songwriter and record producer. He is primarily known as leader and co-founder of the heavy metal band X Japan, for which he plays drums and piano and writes most of the music. After the band disbanded in 1997 he participated in several other...
, and his son, Richard Marx
Richard Marx
Richard Noel Marx is an American adult contemporary and pop/rock singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He had a string of hit singles in the late 1980s and 1990s, including "Endless Summer Nights", "Right Here Waiting", "Now and Forever", and "Hazard"...
.
Death
Marx was injured in a car crash in Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
in 1997, and died shortly thereafter in Highland Park, Illinois
Highland Park, Illinois
Highland Park is a suburban municipality in Lake County, Illinois, United States, about north of downtown Chicago. As of 2009, the population is 33,492. Highland Park is one of several municipalities located on the North Shore of the Chicago Metropolitan Area.-Overview:Highland Park was founded...
.
Discography
- Too Much Piano (Brunswick RecordsBrunswick RecordsBrunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by E1 Entertainment.-From 1916:Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company...
, 1955) - Dick Marx Piano (Coral RecordsCoral RecordsCoral Records was a Decca Records subsidiary formed in 1949. It recorded pop artists McGuire Sisters and Teresa Brewer, as well as rock and roller Buddy Holly....
, 1957) - Marx Makes Broadway (VSOPVSOPVSOP may refer to:*"V.S.O.P." , a song by Above The Law*VSOP , an album by Herbie Hancock**VSOP: The Quintet**V.S.O.P. *Very Special Old Pale, a grade of cognac** Hennessy VSOP...
, 1957) - Delicate Savagery (Coral, 1958)