There isn’t a conversation of what went wrong,why people do what they do in relationships. Where are the songs saying we’re allstill learning?” – Bradd Marquis

They say there are no more good guys; that niceguys finish last. Soul singer/songwriter and actor/producer Bradd Marquis laysthese myths to rest with the release of his third independent album release, ThankYou. Enchanting audiences with his 2007 album debut, the criticallyacclaimed Finding My Way and its 2011 follow-up, Authentic, Marquisprojects the kind of clean-cut, old school charm unseen since the days of SamCooke. The spiritual troubadour with the pulse of the common man, Marquisstrums the pains, feelings, and thoughts of that brother who struggles to findthe words to say.

Towering, boyishly handsome, and boasting abaritone dipped in the gravel and gravy of Southern soul, Marquis is one of thestreets and the steeple. A committed man of dedicated faith and communityservice, Marquis is the anti-thesis of today’s R&B bad boys. Like hisinspirations, Marquis started his stage life in front of the pews. Derivingfrom a rich family legacy of performers that includes blood ties to PhyllisHyman, Debbie Allen, and Phylicia Rashad, Marquis traveled as a child performerin the “Family & Friends” gospel troupe. He rocked the church with preternaturallygrown vocals until high school. A star-turning performance at a college show returnedMarquis to music and later membership with the R&B quartet, Mass Appeal.Soon joining up with Babyface’s production team, Marquis further refined his musicand engineering skills, working with future Finding My Way producer,Jeremy “Cochise” Ball, Thank You producer, Angelo Ray, aswell as the legendary Gerald Levert and the Rude Boys.

Soon after, Marquis’ indie mixtape, AllLove, All the Time, dropped in 2006, opening more doors. Signed to aproduction company, it wasn’t long before Marquis was releasing his 2007 debutLP, FindingMy Way (Quiet As Kept). Breaking through NYC airwaves with the regionalR&B hit, “Radio,” Marquis booked Apollo Live and multiple guest spotson both BET’s 106 & Park and Showtime at the Apollo. Named SoulSinger of the Year by 106 & Park, Marquis landed the SoulSummer Tour and Budweiser Superfest tour where hetraveled as the stable opening act for Jaheim, Tamia, India.Arie, Blue Magic,Frankie Beverly & Maze, Gordon Chambers, and Hal Linton. Marquis alsotoured as “Adam” in Oscar Brown Jr’s musical fable, In De Beginnin’. Additionally,Marquis starred in videos and wrote music for artists in New Zealand where FindingMy Way hit. Marquis lyrical prowess soon scored song placement on projectsby Styles P, Ethical, Young Sid, and Sly and Robbie.

In 2009, Marquis independently released the FMW2.5mixtape. While Marquis debut and mixtape told of his broken engagement, 2011’s Authenticwas more introspective. Moody blues and torch ballad rich, Authentic was a raw, transparentportrait of a man struggling with hard decisions at life’s crossroads. Singingabout broken families, lost love, and the roughness of the industry climb promptedMarquis to take a hiatus to make peace with family, study, and re-discover his spiritualityand church.

With upbeat, melodic, and undeniably soulful partymusic, Marquis returns with his most assured set to-date. Largely written andrecorded in five days with sole producer Angelo Ray, the more up-tempo ThankYou is a love letter to everyone who stuck by and loved Marquis throughhis turmoil and evolution into manhood. Straddling the line between the secularand spiritual, Marquis writes honest material of life and love lessons. With unvarnishedmusical illustrations of an artist stripped of both ego and mask to reveal the interiorsof his heart, connecting with a testimonial soul that both teaches and remindslisteners they are not alone all makes Bradd Marquis this generation’s everyman’ssoul man.