Richard Marx recently revealed his exciting new Hollywood venture after realizing he needed a change from his touring routine.

The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, 61, who is joining Season 14 of The Voice Australia as a coach, launched his own podcast and YouTube series Stories to Tell with Richard Marx.

The hilariously candid show features a vibrant mix of celebrity guests, including Katie Couric, Chelsea Peretti, Rick Springfield, and Kenny G, offering ‘casual, cocktail/mocktail-infused conversations’ that have quickly captivated listeners.

The idea had been brewing in Marx’s mind for some time, but the opportunity came at a pivotal moment when performing night after night on the road had begun to take its toll.

‘My touring schedule got to the point where it was not really tenable anymore,’ Marx revealed in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com. 

‘It started to become a bit of a grind… and so then I kind of stopped doing anything like that.’

Richard Marx recently revealed he launched his own podcast and YouTube series Stories to Tell with Richard Marx; (seen 2024)

The idea had been brewing in Marx’s mind for some time, but the opportunity came at a pivotal moment when performing night after night on the road had begun to take its toll; (Marx in 1988)

He turned his focus to creating Stories to Tell with Richard Marx, a ‘proper show’ that has already found its groove with fans and guests alike.

‘I think of it as a visual show,’ he continued. ‘I’m very proud of the production value. I think it’s a really great looking show.’

He added: ‘And it’s not so much of an interview as just me hanging out with people and not just celebrities.’

Read More Awkward moment Richard Marx almost ignores Prince Harry at Kevin Costner’s charity event

Marx does have plenty of legendary Hollywood tales to share, though, and they do not disappoint.

One of his favorites centers on Barbra Streisand—and her unforgettable reason for turning down what would become his biggest hit. 

After his 1987 self-тιтled debut album went triple platinum—boosted by the success of Don’t Mean Nothing—Streisand, now 82, reached out to him, asking him to write a song for her. 

At the time, Marx was working on Right Here Waiting but wasn’t sure it fit his own album.

‘One of my favorite stories is offering my song Right Here Waiting to Barbra Streisand because I didn’t wanna record it,’ he told DailyMail.com. ‘I felt like it didn’t fit the album I was making. It felt a little too slow and too personal. And I thought, “Oh, this will be a good song for somebody else.”’

‘My touring schedule got to the point where it was not really tenable anymore,’ Marx revealed in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com , adding. ‘It started to become a bit of a grind… and so then I kind of stopped doing anything like that’; (seen in 2025)

He turned his focus to creating Stories to Tell with Richard Marx, a ‘proper show’ that has already found its groove with fans and guests alike

Thinking Streisand would be the perfect fit, Marx sent it her way—but she called back with some brutally honest feedback. 

‘And she called me, and I still have the message,’ Marx said. ‘She said, “I love the music, but you need to rewrite the lyrics… ‘cause I’m not gonna be right here waiting for anybody.”’

Despite the rejection, Marx took it in stride, turning the ballad into his own chart-topping masterpiece. 

‘We’re friends to this day,’ he added. ‘So I tease her all the time and I go, “I can’t thank you enough because you rejecting that song made it my biggest hit I’ve ever had.”’

‘It’s sort of my signature song.’

Streisand’s loss was Marx’s gain—Right Here Waiting hit No. 1 on the Billboard H๏τ 100 in 1989, becoming one of his defining tracks. 

Though Streisand pᴀssed on that song, she later collaborated with Marx on If You Ever Leave Me, a duet with Vince Gill featured on her 1999 album A Love Like Ours.

Marx also shared another memorable story, this time about Lionel Richie, who played a pivotal role in launching his career. 

Marx does have plenty of legendary Hollywood tales to share and one of his favorites centers on Barbra Streisand—and her unforgettable reason for turning down what would become his biggest hit; (seen in 2017)

As a teenager, Marx was desperate to break into the music industry, sending cᴀssette tapes of his songs to anyone who would listen. 

One of those tapes eventually reached Richie, who took the unexpected step of calling Marx’s parents’ house.

‘I was 18, living at home, graduating from high school, and I had written a handful of songs,’ Marx recalled. ‘For a year, a year and a half, these songs floated around and nobody really paid much attention to them. And somehow, they got to Lionel.’

To Marx’s surprise, Richie personally reached out. ‘He actually called my parents’ house to talk to me and encourage me,’ Marx said.

True to his word, Richie later brought Marx to Los Angeles and hired him as a backing vocalist. 

Marx ended up singing on multiple tracks, including the smash hit All Night Long.

Armed with these hilarious anecdotes, Marx—who’s been nominated for five Grammys—went on to win the coveted Song of the Year award in 2003 for Dance with My Father.

As he reflects on the unforgettable moments and legendary figures that have shaped his career, there’s certainly more fun in store. 

Fans can catch it all in his new series Stories to Tell with Richard Marx.

Marx revealed that as a teenager, he had been desperately trying to break into the music industry, sending cᴀssette tapes of his songs to anyone who would listen and one of those tapes made its way to Lionel Richie, who did something unexpected—he called Marx’s parents’ house