Cory Gerald Joseph Marquardt (born October 11, 1989[1]) is a Canadian country rock singer-songwriter, drummer, actor and former ice hockey player better known by his stage nameCory Marks. He is signed to Better Noise Music.[2] He has released two albums, This Man in 2015 under Big Star Recordings and most recently Who I Am in 2020 under Better Noise. Since the release the album has accumulated over 220 million global streams with his debut single "Outlaws & Outsiders" being certified Platinum in Canada, Gold in the US and reaching top 10 at US rock radio and #3 in Germany, making Marks the first to ever do so as a Canadian country act.
Early life
Marks was raised in North Bay, Ontario, the younger brother of professional hockey player Matt Marquardt, and learned how to skate at three years old.[3] He cites Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Bryan Adams, Ozzy Osbourne, and Rush as early musical influences.[4] Marks played university hockey at the Royal Military College of Canada where he also pursued dreams of becoming a fighter pilot.[5][6] He had never performed music publicly until his friends encouraged him to do so while at a bar in college.[7] He has performed using the name "Cory Marks" since the release of his debut album.[1] Marks achieved his private pilot license in 2021.[8]
Career
2014-2015: This Man
In July 2014, he released his first single to Canadian country radio, "Smartphone".[9] His second single, "21", was released in April 2015.[10] His first album, This Man was released on May 26, 2015 through Big Star Recordings.[11][12] The album included his first two singles, as well as two further singles, "This Man",[13] and "Nowhere With You".[14]
In June 2020, Marks released "Drive",[23][24][25] and announced it as the second single to country radio off his second album, Who I Am, which was released on August 7, 2020 through Better Noise.[26][27][28] In October 2020, "Blame It on the Double" was released as the second single to rock radio in Germany and the United Kingdom.[29] Marks also released his first Christmas single "Jingle My Bells", a cover of a song by The Tractors, that month.[30][31][32] In April 2021, Marks released a new version of "Blame It on the Double" featuring Tyler Connolly of Theory of a Deadman and Jason Hook.[33][34]
On June 18, 2021, Marks released the extended play Nashville Mornings. It included a cover of Blaze Foley's "If I Could Only Fly", as well as a "Country Mix" of "Blame It on the Double" featuring Tyler Connolly, which was sent to Canadian country radio.[35] He followed that up with the extended play Nashville Nights on August 20, 2021, which included a new track "In Me I Trust",[36] the solo version of "Outlaws & Outsiders", and live versions of "Drive" and "Blame It on the Double".[37][38]
In November 2022, Marks released the extended play I Rise, which included the singles "Burn It Up" and "Flying".[39][40] He supported Five Finger Death Punch on their headlining tour in the United States in the fall and winter of 2022 alongside Brantley Gilbert.[41] He is slated to release a full-length album in the first half of 2024.[42]
